Of Vale Blood
by Zeroan
Summary: Winter has arrived once again to the city of Vale, bringing darkness and fear with it. But unbeknownst to all, the greatest dangers lurks not outside, but inside the walls. The destiny of Vale rests on the hands of a young heroine, a lost princess, an escaped slave, and a cursed beauty. (Set in a Renaissance-era Vale. Rating might change as the story progresses.)
1. Prelude

_"Shh… Don't cry. There's no reason to be sad._

 _Mommy's never going to leave you, sweetheart. I'll always be there for you… Whenever you feel scared, or lonely… Just know that I'll be with you. Just don't forget that, alright?_

 _…See? No more tears. That wasn't so hard, was it now?_

 _Now, go, Ruby. Make me proud._

…

 _I love you."_

\- Summer Rose

* * *

Of all the kingdoms in Remnant, Vale was far from the coldest one, but anyone with any knowledge of it would be a fool to deny it suffered from the harshest winters on the planet.

Just a few feet from the walls of its capital raged a blizzard of such intensity that one could barely see past their arm's length or hear anything other than the howling of the wind and snow. It went like that all season long, blocking the city's connection to the rest of the world… Yet that wasn't the most troublesome of its effects.

In the midst of the white storm roamed Grimm of all types, their feral instincts amplified by the almost unnatural fierceness of winter. Tales of brave travelers being ripped to shreds and even of townspeople being eaten at their own homes inside the walls were not uncommon. Every Vale-born feared that one year would prove to be _too_ harsh and their walls would fall under the might of the darkness beyond.

To put things simply… Leaving the warmth and safety within the walls was the task of a madman or a person with a death wish. Yet Ruby was neither of those, or at least so she thought. She was sure some people would disagree with her if they were asked about it.

She took measured steps away from the wall, feeling the snow crunch beneath her boots. Her silver eyes never stopped moving, even as the wind caused her hair to lash against her face like whips. She knew she had to be as focused as she could be if she wished to stay alive – and even _more_ focused if she wanted to be accepted into the Guard.

The first Grimm appeared from behind her, leaping over her head so as to land in front of her. It stood on its hind legs, hunched over just enough for its wolfish red eyes to bear straight into hers. She stopped moving and stared back, betraying no emotion at all.

Then a smile crept on the corner of her lips and she brought her left arm up. Her pistol bashed against the monster's shin, and when she pulled the trigger, it let out a loud noise that was quickly overtaken by the storm. The Grimm screamed and stumbled back, clawing at its wounded face in a desperate attempt of recovery.

Ruby wasted no time in finishing the beast off – her right hand flew to the hilt of her sword, and with one clean motion, she drew it from its scabbard and sliced the Grimm's head off its neck. The rest of the body fell to the ground, slowly dissipating into smoke.

The noise of the shot must have echoed farther than she had expected, for when she looked around her, there were uncountable pairs of red eyes staring at her from behind the snowy veil. At once, the Grimm charged at her, all resembling a cross between wolf and human… a very hideous human. Ruby jumped towards one of them and kicked its head, using the momentum of the impact to propel herself even higher.

As she hovered above the ravenous horde, she pointed her pistol carefully. She unloaded all bullets she had loaded before undertaking the mission, and all of them found their targets and turned them into piles of expanding smoke. With half of them dead, she wasn't in great danger once she landed back on the ground.

The remaining Grimm closed on her, their claws and fangs barely missing her body as she danced around them. Her form was almost a blur, her sword a brief flash of light as it cut through her preys' skin.

When the last of the wolves fell, Ruby lowered her weapons and took a deep breath. Even in the middle of the blizzard she had managed to get herself to sweat. Yet she wasn't exactly _tired_ … Her eyes wandered over the white horizon, hoping to find another beast for her to take down.

She only allowed herself to relax when her mentor neared her. Ozpin held himself as he always did – a hint of a smug smile on his lips, his fingers laced together on top of his wooden cane. A stranger would say he was foolish to wander beyond the walls without a weapon, but Ruby knew him better.

"H-how did I do, Mister Ozpin?" she asked, her eyes widening hopefully as she looked up at him.

"Hmm…" he cast a glance towards one of the dissipating piles of smoke that once had been a Grimm. "Sluggish."

"S-sluggish?!" Ruby's shoulders dropped. "But… But I…"

"Which is to be expected, of course. We _are_ in the middle of a Vale blizzard," Ozpin chuckled at her outraged expression. "Congratulations. Lady Ruby Rose, you are now an honorable member of the Vale Royal Guard."

She wanted to let out a high-pitched squeal at that revelation, then immediately covered her mouth with her hands. Ruby was happy, but she hadn't forgotten whose company she was in. A father he might be to her, but Ozpin was still the High General of Vale.

"Thank you, sir," she said solemnly. "I won't let you down!"

"I know you won't," Ozpin smiled. "Come, Ruby. A banquet should be arranged for this occasion."

"A _banquet_?!"

"Hmm… Yes, that might be a tad too much. Perhaps only a small, but prestigious, meal."

She wished she had stayed quiet.

* * *

 _Let it be known, from this day forward,_

 _That I shall wear this crown with pride and with sorrow;_

 _That I shall defend my people from the evil from within and without;_

 _That I shall be the only wounded in mine kingdom;_

 _That I shall leave last when the Moon sees fit to welcome us back._

 _So it is known,_

 _And so it shall be._

\- The Oath of Vale

* * *

Trade princes from faraway lands; which lords and ladies held the rights to which pastures; the chasing of an escaped criminal… By the Moon, were they all unable to _see_ the blizzard surrounding the city? What use was there to discussing these matters when they couldn't set a foot outside for four months? And, more importantly, why did _she_ have to attend these discussions too?

Weiss glared towards her sister, discreetly enough so that no one else at the round table saw it and found it improper, but long enough so she was noticed by her intended target. Winter did not look away from the merchant she was conversing with, but Weiss saw the spark of annoyance in her eyes. The younger girl smiled lightly and leaned back in her chair, happy that she could accomplish at least that during the tedious meeting.

It was not that she didn't care about the kingdom and its inner workings, but during their current predicament, everything seemed so… pointless. Why negotiate with Atlas when a thousand miles of endless storm separated the two kingdoms? Her sister should be resting – there was _nothing_ that could bother them inside their own walls!

A light chuckle drew Weiss's attention, and she looked to the side hurriedly, realizing that she had not been as subtle as she had thought. In the seat to her right was Lady Summer, wearing a small knowing smile on her lips. She was one of her sister's most trusted advisors, a cunning and experienced woman, despite what her youthful face framed by vibrant red hair seemed to indicate. She had told Weiss many times before that she wasn't as young as she looked, but the princess was sure that was just a long standing joke of hers.

"Tiresome, isn't it?" Summer whispered.

"Indeed. Is there even a point to all of this?" Weiss replied in the same tone, though much more enthusiastically. No one ever dared to speak such things during the meetings' duration, but Summer had always behaved more liberally than the other nobles – and for that, Weiss was thankful.

"Your sister seems to enjoy it well enough. It's easier to look at what's beyond our walls, even if there's a blizzard blocking the view, than at what's within them," Summer leaned closer to Weiss's ear. "Still, don't let a word of what I just said reach her. Winter is a benevolent ruler, but I would prefer to stay as far away from the chopping block as possible."

"We don't _have_ a chopping block," Weiss noted.

"Exactly so, princess. Think positive thoughts!" Summer smiled and readjusted her posture, as if there had been no secret conversation at all.

Weiss muffled a giggle, then resumed her waiting for the meeting to end. Half an hour later and her sister rose from her seat and thanked everyone in the table for their presences, at which point they all started to leave, some not even bothering to hide their sweet relief.

Lady Summer gave Weiss one last smile, bowed to Winter, then exited the room gracefully. The princess sighed and made to follow her, but her sister cleared her throat loudly enough so that she couldn't be ignored.

"Yes, Winter?" Weiss asked, doing her best to conceal her frustration.

"Don't think I didn't notice your behavior at the table, little lady," Winter shook her head disapprovingly. "I know all those talks of commerce and traveling routes seem pointless, but they're not. Not to me, and one day, not to you."

" _Sweet Moon_. Playing the inheritance card right at the start?" The younger sister crossed her arms. "That surely will better my mood."

"I say what needs to be said. Sooner or later, you'll sit in my throne, and I'd rather you be prepared for it," Winter looked away sorrowfully. "Better prepared than I ever could have been, at least."

Weiss's retort died inside her mouth. Her sister had woken up in a foul mood, it seemed: she rarely ever mentioned the circumstances that led to her ruling.

"I understand, and I'm sorry if I disappointed you." Weiss bowed her head slightly.

"I know you meant no harm," for a moment, it seemed like Winter would smile, but in her eyes sparked a glint of suspicion. "What did Lady Summer have to say that made you _giggle_ , dear sister?"

"Oh… Something about… a chopping block," The princess tapped her foot nervously against the ground. "Really, we were both so tired… We did not bother anyone else, did we?"

"I suppose not," Winter's gaze softened. "You may go."  
Weiss turned and started to leave, but stopped at the doorway when her sister called her name one last time. Weiss looked back over her shoulder, wondering what more Winter had to reprimand her about.

"Yes, sister?" She asked, this time not making an effort to be polite.

"Just one more thing," Winter's gaze was fixed on some papers laid before her on the table, but the hand that should be scribbling her signature on them was hovering, still, above them. "I love you."

Weiss just stood there, staring, not knowing how to react. It just wasn't right – since when did her sister bother to say such things with no clear purpose or reason?

The princess faltered, and, not knowing what else to do, left the conference room.

There was something very wrong happening in her kingdom.

* * *

 _"You think us monsters, my noble masters?_

 _Perhaps you are right._

 _Let us be monsters, then."_

\- The White Fang

* * *

It wasn't the darkness that brought her despair. Not the silence. Not the impossibly small space that she was supposed to fit inside of. No, not even the hopeless waiting…

What brought her despair were the times when she was _freed_. When her master would open the door to her – the _slaves'_ – room, letting the light of the castle hallways hurt her already damaged vision, and choose her to serve him and his always-constant guests for the night. When she was forced to wear whatever outfit was deemed worthless enough for her. When she had to weave between fat noblemen, serving them drinks and food, and pretend to ignore as they spat on her.

Sweet Moon, she almost relished the moment she was thrown back inside her cage, because at least then, she had the comfort of sleep and silence and darkness. Yet sooner or later, he always came back and picked her.

But no more. The last time had already passed. Oh, yes it had.

Blake would have no more of it.

Her wide smile was covered in darkness as she finally managed to pry a screw from her cage and, after hours of slamming and spinning and stabbing, got the door open and crawled out of the damned prison.

She spared a single look at the direction of the other cages in the room. Guilt and pity hit her in continuous waves, but she had no time to free the other slaves too. Already the risk was too great. Perhaps she was even doing them a favor in not releasing them, for death was the most likely result of her endeavor.

She had no difficulty in getting outside the room, since the door was always unlocked. Blake wasted no time with letting her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the hallways, and instead immediately took to running. That was where her plan ceased to exist; she knew nothing of the castle's layout and where the safest exit point was. She was counting on sheer luck to get her out alive.

To Blake, the world was a spinning blur, a swirling mess of emotion she was desperately trying to free herself from. Yet in truth, she was just one young woman running aimlessly through strange hallways, tears spilling from her eyes all the while.

She almost let out a squeal of joy when she spotted a wide open set of double doors that led to the outside. The guards were too startled by her sudden appearance to stop her from running by them, and as much as they shouted and gave chase, she was too fast and driven to be caught.

Blake only stopped when the master's castle was like a dollhouse in the distance. She kneeled, trying to regain her breath, and as she did, she looked forward. She had descended down a steep incline already, yet she still could see the entirety of Vale below. It was… breathtaking. So many lights coming from the windows of so many households, shining brightly in the darkness of night.

The shattered Moon seemed to be watching her like a guardian. Blake looked up at it, and with tears still wetting her cheeks, smiled and laughed, for she was finally, and truly, _free_.

* * *

 _[…]For three days and three nights, the Dragon watched what Its children had become, and for three more days and three more night, It howled Its despair and sadness._

 _On the seventh morning, the Moon shattered. The Dragon's tears fell heavy on Its children, and on the seventh night, It flew back to Its home, leaving behind a sea of sinners. […]_

\- Words of Remnant: The Shattering

* * *

"Sir, I really have to warn you: gimme another drink already, 'cause I got places to go, things to do," Yang leaned forward to glare at the bar owner. ", and, really, I could do these things anywhere, but I don't believe you'd appreciate having your place thrashed beyond repair."

The owner stared at her silently, shivers running up his spine. Beautiful and young that girl might look, but there was something about her that made her threats ring true. Something in her violet eyes, but perhaps he was just trying to find reason wherever he could at that point. Nobody else in the bar said a word about her, and he knew why: they were as scared of her as he was.

She took her drink and spun on her seat to face the rest of the bar. Yang took a gulp and, leaning slightly, elbowed the man to her right.

"So, mate," She said cheerfully, "you got any stories to share?"

"…No." He replied curtly.

"Figures. You are muscly, I'll give you that, but your most exciting stories are probably about arguing with your wife or something," she took another gulp and smiled, "Right?"

He glared at her and moved his seat farther away. Yang rolled her eyes, then looked to the man on her left.

"What about you?"

"Killed an Ursa all by myself!" he boasted, puffing his chest up comically. "Just me and my trusty lance. Got it right in the eye! Screamed like a beast from the deepest hells, but it died nonetheless!"

"…Right," Yang shrugged. "Am I supposed to be impressed? I can do better. Hell, my sister can do better, and she's only sixteen years old."

"Why, you…" the man rose from his seat. "I'll have you know that in my time, I could take on a dozen Grimm alone and come out without a single injury!"

"We can take double that amount," Yang chuckled. "Actually, Ruby can probably do it with one hand tied behind her back."

He growled and swung a fist towards her. She made no effort of dodging, instead letting him connect with her shoulder directly. His face contorted in pain, as if his fingers had met steel, and went stumbling back. Yang got up, laid her drink down casually, and punched the man on the chest. He fell to the ground, unconscious and drooling.

"Oops," Yang grabbed her drink again and took another gulp. "Say, barman, how's the Moon right now?"

"Ten minutes 'til mid-cycle?" he replied cautiously, not wishing to meet the same fate as his injured customer.

"Oh, shit!" the girl almost knocked her drink over the edge of the counter as she backed away from it. "I'll pay you later! I've got a cage to lock myself inside of!"  
She almost tore the front door off its hinges in her hurry to get outside. Yang didn't hesitate in taking a turn, running down the streets as if her life depended on it – which wasn't far from the truth, if one were to look at the big picture.

When she finally made it home, the Moon was only a minute or two from reaching the middle of its nightly cycle. She stormed inside the house and ran to the very back of it, where she was happy to find her sister already waiting with the door to her cage open.

"Hey, sis!" Ruby greeted cheerfully. "Can you guess who the newest Royal Guard is?"

"Congratulations!" Yang exclaimed, looking up at the Moon through a crack in the ceiling. "Come on, lock me up already!"

" _Fine_!" The redhead grumbled under her breath as she closed the door to the cage. She looked up at her sister caringly. "I'll be right here with you. Just don't forget that, alright?"

Yang smiled weakly to her, then went to lean against the farthest possible wall. Her arms shook as she tried to support herself against the stone. Warmth spread through her body, at first like a gentle fire, then suddenly proceeding to a raging inferno. Finally, her eyes went from violet to red, and she was lost.

The only thing she knew was that Ruby was still standing outside the cage, watching serenely and lovingly.

"That's it… just stay calm," her soothing words reached Yang's distant mind. "Good. Good. See? That wasn't so hard, was it now?"

* * *

 _Red like roses floods the streets_

 _Behold and fear, the Reaper's here_

 _White is cold, ill-fated ruler_

 _Her ending storm grows ever near_

 _Black the beast yearns for sweet peace_

 _Yellow beauty hides_

 _Within._

* * *

 **...  
**

 **Welcome all to my newest story, _Of Vale Blood_. This concept has been at the back of my mind for quite some time, and since I've now got it pretty fleshed out... Time to unleash it upon the world.**

 **Expect the usuals from me, though I believe this will feel more like a novel than my previous works. You'll get your fix of action, humor, blood, tears, blood, tears, humor!, and blood and tears. Did I mention the blood and tears? Because there will be blood and tears. (You've been warned.)**

 **And yes. Ships will sail, eventually.**

 **I hope you stick around and enjoy what more is to come!**

 **-Zeroan**


	2. Fear

Yang's eyes opened to hazy light. The skies of Vale were never clear during winter, so it was only a faint strand of sunlight, but it was still bright enough to make her scurry away from the crack in the ceiling that let it through. She backed up against a wall, frustrated by her rude awakening and the aftermath of her previous night.

She felt sore to her bones, and she was fairly sure there were more than a few scratches on her face. Her head felt light, making it hard for her to string two thoughts together. At least she could take solace in the fact that her clothes were intact – that was considerably more fortunate than most other times.

She struggled to get to her feet and pushed against her cage's door, and it opened with a screeching noise that irritated her ears. Apparently, Ruby had been kind enough to unlock it before leaving. Yang smiled despite her pain, then focused on her sister's vacant chair. A note laid there, filled with hastily-written words.

 _Slept late! First day of duty, Ozpin will be mad! Sorry! – Ruby_.

"Of course it's you, you adorable little pest," Yang rolled her eyes, "who else could it be?"

Their food stash was running low – no doubt because of Ruby's ravenous hunger – so Yang only took two slices of bread with a little butter on top. When she was done, her stomach growled for more, but that would have to do. If she really needed to, she could sneak in a few bites at work.

At least the meal was enough to clear her head – not completely, but enough so that she could block out the rest of her pain. Fortunately, she had learned to live with her curse over the years, or she would have gone mad long gone.

Yang stepped out of the house as she stretched her arms over her head. The breeze on her skin, the lovely smell of fresh air, it all amounted to what could only be a nice, uneventful day…

At least until night fell again.

* * *

"There is no possible way that is true. You're trying to play us for fools, aren't you?" Neptune chuckled lightly.

Pyrrha Nikos smiled graciously and, to prove her honesty to her doubtful companions, drew her rifle from behind her back. Without even rising from her seat, she spun the firearm once and took aim at a distant tree. The sound of the shot rang in their ears, making both Weiss and Neptune flinch in reflex. A low _thud_ followed as an apple fell from the tree's branch, a hole piercing it right through its middle.

"Holy Moon, you weren't lying!" Neptune said in complete awe. "I never thought anyone could accomplish such a feat, let alone someone like you!"

"Someone like me?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow dubiously. "What exactly do you mean by that, prince?"

"I meant no offense, milady," he smiled charmingly. "My disbelief comes from the fact that, while I have met many beautiful, clever and noble women like yourself, I have never met one with your skills. It's a pleasant surprise."

Pyrrha blushed and let out a girlish giggle, much to his delight, and Weiss's dismay. She had known Neptune ever since they were children, even if he lived far away, being the heir to the throne of Mistral, and she had always believed there was a… connection, between them. But now he was captivated by this seemingly-perfect stranger and had barely casted her one glance all morning.

"Perhaps you just haven't looked hard enough, my prince," Pyrrha said. "I'm sure princess Weiss possesses much skill, even if in other areas."

"I suppose so," Neptune shrugged. "She's a nice singer."

"Nice?" Weiss glared at him. "Why, you…" she shook her head and smiled, remembering that, even if she knew Neptune very well, she should still represent Vale as a polite and level-headed heiress. "Yes, I sing rather well, if I may say so myself. Can _you_ sing, Lady Pyrrha?"

"Unfortunately, no. I never had the time to learn, as I was always so focused on my combat training." Pyrrha said.

While the response sounded honest and innocent, it still managed to further Weiss's discontent. Either Pyrrha's skill extended to manipulation by words, or she was _really_ too perfect.

When Neptune rekindled his conversation with Pyrrha, Weiss groaned mentally and forced herself to look away. They were in one of Castle Vale's inner gardens, and while it was beautiful, the frigid air of winter had turned its trees a sickly gray color and the birds had taken to sleeping in their warm nests. Once more the princess was reminded of how much she despised the season – it seemed no matter where she went, there was no escaping it.

She was halfway through sealing her decision of making an excuse so she could slip away to her quarters when general Ozpin stepped through one of the garden's archways. He wore his usual serene expression and tapped his fingers on his wooden cane absently-minded. Much like Lady Summer, he was a welcome contrast compared to the other nobles in their solemn wintery moods.

Weiss held back an enthusiastic greeting as she took notice of an unfamiliar figure behind the general; a small, pale-skinned girl with hair that was a mix between black and red. The princess would have taken her for an unknown noble's child, if it weren't for the sword and pistol sheathed on her hip.

"Princess Weiss," Ozpin greeted as he came to stand beside their table. "Prince Neptune. And… Lady Pyrrha Nikos, I take it?"

"Yes, sir!" Pyrrha rose to her feet, an ecstatic smile on her face. "It is an honor to meet you, sir! I have heard so many stories about you and your conquests, sir!"

"Believe me, most of the stories are wild exaggerations," he chuckled jovially. "I too have heard many a story about you, Lady Pyrrha. You are an impressive young woman."

If Weiss were a vindictive woman, she would have gripped Pyrrha's throat and squeezed the life out of her at that moment. Even _Ozpin_ , of all people, was singing her praises!

"Yes, she is very precious," Weiss said through greeted teeth. "Is there a motive behind your unexpected appearance, general, or are you here simply to be courteous?"

"You know me too well, princess," Ozpin gestured to the girl following him. She looked at him in panic, then nervously took a step forward. "Meet Ruby Rose, the newest addition to the Royal Guard."

"Oh. Well…" Weiss smiled politely as she shook the girl's hand, "she certainly looks… agile."

"Thank you, milady!" Ruby blurted out, then covered her mouth with her hands, as if she had said some unthinkable thing.

The princess held her smile, even as she began to silently question why the two were being introduced. Ozpin had never made a point of her knowing every member of her sister's guard, and this one… Well, she didn't seem very impressive – she looked more like a novice than a real knightess.

"Do not underestimate Ruby based on her looks and behavior, princess," Ozpin advised. "You will come to understand her true worth soon enough."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Why, she's the first official member of your own Guard."

The sound she made in response was not princess-like at all. Neptune snickered, and even Pyrrha had to cover her mouth to hide a smile.

"My… own Guard?" Weiss repeated. "Why would I need any such thing?"

"You _are_ a royal princess." Neptune pointed out, earning himself a glare from her.

"I have never had need of personal guards before!" She protested. "Why should this change now, of all times?"

Before Ozpin could voice his reasoning, the explosion of a nearby round echoed somewhere above them. Neptune shrieked and jumped to the ground, while Pyrrha pointed her rifle around, trying to locate the unseen shooter. Ozpin stood still, not making any sudden moves as he followed the Lady Nikos' example.

And all the while, Weiss was frozen where she sat, staring into the flat side of Ruby's blade, which was hovering only inches away from the tip of her nose. She blinked and looked at the unfamiliar redhead, slowly realizing she had just deflected a bullet that would have surely taken her life.

But before the princess could even think of expressing any proper reaction, Ruby had jumped on the table and kicked against it, turning herself into a blur as she leaped to the roof at the garden's edge. She landed gracefully on the unsteady tiles and swung with her sword.

A man fell from the roof and hit the ground with a heavy _thump_. Ozpin rushed to his side and crouched down to inspect him – the skin of his forehead was turning purple from where Ruby had struck him with the pommel of her sword, but he was still breathing.

Weiss went to look over the general's shoulder and felt a shiver run down her back. Two round, furry ears poked their way out of the man's unruly hair, resembling those of a canine.

"A faunus," Ozpin said. "Of course."

"Of course?!" Weiss repeated in disbelief. "Were you expecting this all along, general?"

"No, of course not. If I had known about an immediate threat to your life, I would have taken even heavier measures," he looked up at her with a solemn expression. "Do you still protest against a Guard of your own, princess?"

Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the faunus once again. He didn't look too frightening, but the thought that he had only barely failed to kill her… It woke a deep, cold fear in her.

Ozpin's gaze softened, as if he had taken notice of how truly unsettled she was. He rose to his feet and patted her on her right shoulder, as a father would do for his own child.

"Don't fret, Weiss," he said, marking one of the rare times in her life someone called her just by name, with no titles or pleasantries attached, "this man poses no threat to you anymore. Ruby has already left to check on our surroundings, so there won't be any more surprises."

Weiss looked up at the roof, and indeed, there was no one there. She wondered if Ozpin had given Ruby a silent order, or if she so capable to the point of taking action of her own accord. Her swift handling of the situation had surely been impressive.

"Alright," Weiss muttered, "but I don't feel like staying here anymore. I'll retire to my quarters for the day," She turned to her young companions. "Prince Neptune, Lady Pyrrha. It was an honor to speak with you."

Neptune just wiped the dirt off his shoulders casually, as if he hadn't been cowering in fear for the duration of the ordeal. Pyrrha nodded and gestured with her rifle.

"I will scout the area too, if it isn't presumptuous of me. I'm sure Lady Ruby would appreciate my help." She said.

Ozpin expressed his gratitude as Weiss left the garden, arms wrapped around her chest as if to fend off the fear that had suddenly invaded her life.

* * *

" _Hmm_ , _hmm_ … _Dream of anything, I'll make it all come true… Everything you need, is all I_ \- Ouch!" Yang rubbed her head and glared back at her boss, who had unceremoniously hit her with a stiff piece of bread. "What did you do that for?!"

"Stop humming, girl!" he ordered. "Are you a baker or a minstrel?"

"Maybe I'm both!" she yelped as he hit her once again. "Alright, I get it! I'm a baker! No more singing."

He nodded his approval and left her to her duty of mixing the flour and water. It wasn't a difficult job, but neither was it easy – it required a certain amount of finesse and dedication, which she doubted many girls her age possessed. They were too _busy_ chasing after boys who would sustain them for the rest of their lives.

Not that she was all about working, in fact saying that would be a massive misstatement. Yang cherished her life outside of work, running through the streets of Vale, talking to her many friends, picking fights… When you spoke the name Xiao Long, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't know who it belonged to. People knew and admired her.

But that didn't mean she would make of herself a goal to be disputed by every boy – and some girls – in the town. No, certainly not. She didn't plan to settle down until her hair began to gray, and then she would decide who would be by her side based on nothing but her own free will.

She still appreciated the occasional flowers, though.

A knock on the bakery's window distracted her from her work. She rolled her eyes when she saw her friend Sun signaling to her from outside, his monkey tail wiggling anxiously behind him. Yang looked around to make sure her boss wasn't watching, then rushed to the door and slipped outside.

"What are you doing here, Sun?" she asked, annoyed by his appearance. "You know I can't stop to talk to you in the middle of work."

"Sorry," he looked around nervously. "Do you have any food to spare?"

Yang glared at him, but went back to retrieve a loaf of bread for him. Even if he was being inconvenient, he was still her friend and he looked hungry. She frowned, noticing how breathless he seemed as he devoured the bread.

"Have you been running from the Guard again?" she asked. "Because I can't cover for you, and I'm not sure if I _want_ to. What did you steal this time?"

"Nothing!" he replied with his mouth full. "I swear! I was just sneaking around in the plaza when the Guard comes marching through, with their lances all shiny and pointy… I was lucky they caught some other faunus before they saw me!"

"Ah. Must be that time of year." Yang sighed.

The fate of free faunus was very well known: either they were captured or they were killed. Humans who protected them didn't even have any other option than the latter. And every few months, the town Guard would storm down on the population, taking whatever faunus they could get their hands upon.

"I don't think so, Yang. They looked especially motivated today," Sun shook his head. "Something about an attempt on the princess's life."

"The princess Weiss?" Yang groaned. News seemed to get worse by the second. "Ruby got accepted into her Guard just yesterday."

"I guess I shouldn't complain that the attempt wasn't successful, then," Sun said. "They're blaming the faunus, of course."

"Well, duh. Who else has reason to assassinate the royals?" the girl questioned. "Anyway, you'd better get away from here already. If the Guard comes around the corner right now, I'm throwing you to them. It'd fetch me some good coin."

"Always a pleasure, Lady Xiao Long!" the faunus exclaimed, then mischievously ran away before she could grab hold of his tail.

Yang grumbled under her breath as she stormed back inside the bakery. She _hated_ when people called her Lady.

* * *

Pyrrha ran on the roof of the Castle Vale, her eyes darting everywhere below and around her, searching for any hidden faunus. The castle was huge, and it was split into so many open and closed sections, it was a fool's errand to scour through it so quickly and shallowly.

With that in mind, she decided to take another approach to the problem. A few feet in front of her was a bell tower, used to sound the passing of the sun and moon's cycles. It was the tallest structure in the castle, and standing on top of it would provide her with vision to rival an eagle's.

Pyrrha steeled herself as she neared the tower, then jumped and clashed her feet against the wall. Her boots crackled with unnatural power as they clung to the clay, and she ran up, not once looking down.

When she reached the bell, she was breathless, but exhilarated. Nothing brought her more joy than making use of her rigorous physical training. There was just something incredible about feeling the impact of her feet against the ground and the wind lashing against her skin as she ran without any inhibitions.

She looked around her, trying to single out any suspicious behavior in the castle. Pyrrha could spot a number of people roaming the outside areas, which was enough coverage for her to be satisfied – if the faunus dared navigate the inside, they would be caught in a matter of seconds. After a full minute of careful observation, she sighed in defeat.

Pyrrha looked to the side and met with Ruby's stare. The newest member of the Guard had had the same idea as her, and was now standing on top of a bell tower parallel to her own. Pyrrha shook her head sideways to indicate she hadn't seen anything, and Ruby did the same.

The mystralian warrior decided to end her search, and unceremoniously dropped off the tower, meaning to land on one of the castle's open gardens. In her scattered state of mind, however, she failed to fully examine her immediate surroundings, and fell on someone, who crashed hard to the floor.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, hurriedly getting up from the boy's back. "I'm so, so sorry!"

He turned so he was lying on his back. He was wearing a novice's armor, and a sword was thrown on the grass beside him, and as he looked up at her and rubbed his blonde hair, there was a dreamy appearance to his eyes.

"Uh…" he mumbled. "I'm dreaming, right?"

"What? You're not dreaming." Pyrrha frowned, leaning down a bit to inspect his head for injuries. "Did you hit your head?"

"I must have, because you _can't_ be real," he said. She blushed and took a step back, feeling genuinely flattered. His flirting was unlike Neptune's – in fact, she had a feeling he hadn't even fully realized what he had said. "But if you're real, I'm Jaune Arc, knight-in-training."

"A pleasure to meet you, Jaune Arc," she offered her hand to help him get back up. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

He took her offer and stood, then went to retrieve his sword. As he did, he couldn't help but be disturbed by the way she was staring at him.

"What?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh? Nothing. I'm sorry," she smiled. "It's just that people usually react very strongly to my name."

"Why, because it's a pretty name?" Jaune raised an eyebrow dubiously.

Pyrrha just stared at him, amazed that she had somehow found someone who didn't know who she was. For a moment, she intended to correct him, but then she decided that _perhaps_ it would be nicer to just let him believe he was right.

"Yes, though I don't find my name as pretty as most people do," she said. "So, you're training to be a knight? How far along the ranks are you?"

"Uh…" he looked away sheepishly. "I'm… _pretty good_ , if I may say so myself."

"Really?" Pyrrha's eyes shimmered with excitement. "Let's spar so we can get a sense of each other's skill!"

"W-what now?!" he exclaimed.

"It's a mistralian custom. Haven't you heard of it?"

Jaune gulped, then gripped his sword with his two hands. Well, at least he had the advantage in weaponry – Pyrrha wielded a rifle, which would hardly help her in close combat.

But then she drew a lance and a shield from behind her back, and he knew he was going to regret not backing down from the challenge.

* * *

Weiss's plan to retire to her room to feel safer had backfired horribly.

Her room had never felt so empty. It was huge beyond utility, and in every corner there were shadows that could hide an unseen killer. The roof above the room could easily allow someone to jump to her balcony.

The fear wasn't the worst of the situation, however. It was the helplessness. She knew if an assassin were to confront her right now, she would be hard pressed to offer any resistance. She was good with a rapier, but what good was a princess's training against some ruffian's ruthlessness? And her _real_ powers? Winter would never condone their use - she had learned that the hard way long ago.

It didn't help that Ruby, supposedly her _only_ private guard, had been absent ever since their introduction. Ozpin had assured Weiss she was busy scouring the area for any threats, and it made sense. It was more effective to search for hidden dangers than clinging to a frightened princess. But that didn't mean Weiss had to like it.

The door to her room opened slowly, and her heartbeat rose quickly. That was it. Curse Ozpin, curse Ruby for leaving, curse Winter for not caring enough to give her more competent guards!

And then Lady Summer stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her. Weiss couldn't stop the sigh of relief that escaped her lips.

"Princess," Summer bowed curtly. "I'm sorry I couldn't arrive sooner. Everyone has been awfully busy today."

"Yes, I presume so," Weiss frowned. "Where's the queen? Shouldn't she be the one entering my room?"

"Your sister is preoccupied," the older noblewoman said. "I assure you, she is very troubled by the attempt on your life, and that is why she hasn't come here yet. Even as we speak, she is making arrangements to better our security and investigate this matter."

Weiss nodded hesitantly. She got up from her bed and went to the balcony. Summer followed her silently, and together, they admired the view of the city from up high.

"Do we know anything at all about the assassin?" Weiss asked.

"Aside from the obvious?" Summer chuckled. To the princess's frighten, she moved to sit on the edge of the balcony, swinging her legs carelessly on the wind. "He was a faunus. We suspect he's affiliated with the White Fang."

"Of course," Weiss said bitterly. "I should have thought of that already. They won't stop harassing my sister, and now they're targeting me."

"Yes. They wish to have their demands heard."

Weiss turned to look cautiously at her companion.

"Do you sound sympathetic to their cause, or am I jumping to conclusions?" she asked.

"I understand their motivation, yes. The faunus live as slaves, my princess. They have no freedom. Those who seek it meet with unforgiving death by our hands," Summer said. "If you were in their position, wouldn't you rebel too, princess?"

"No, I wouldn't," Weiss answered heavily. "I would be grateful that I'm allowed to live, and in good care, too. The White Fang vastly exaggerates the supposed _mistreatment_ they suffer."

"Perhaps in your castle, princess, the slaves might live as you think," Summer shook her head. "Unfortunately, other lords and ladies are not as kind as you and your sister."

Weiss was silent, contemplating the advisor's words. Was she truly so blind to the world around her? It was difficult to believe her parents' assassins might have just cause to their actions.

"Do not mistake my sympathy for support, princess," Summer spoke. "I would never side with such ruthless people. Not when they killed your parents… not when they tried to kill _you_."

The statement managed to force a smile out of Weiss, even in the terrible mood she was in. Summer smiled back to her, but it was a sad gesture, as if she were truly pained. Weiss had never seen her like this before – Summer had always irradiated a sense of quiet, stable joy.

"I know how painful it is to lose the people closest to you. I still remember how distraught you and Winter were when your parents were assassinated," the redhead woman muttered. "But even then… That was like an echo of past injuries."

"…You mean your daughter?" Weiss asked hesitantly.

"You've heard the rumors," Summer said. "I suppose everyone has."

"Not really. People don't like to talk about it." The princess assured.

"That's… very considerate of them."

Weiss wondered if Summer was going to talk any further about the topic, but she just kept staring at the darkening horizon solemnly. The princess stayed quiet, deciding to not pry on such personal matters.

Summer only moved once the Moon was fully visible against the night sky. She shook her head and smiled, and just like that, her usual persona was back. She turned to Weiss and, to the princess's surprise, planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Well, this was an uplifting chat!" She exclaimed. "Have a nice night, princess Weiss!"

"Good night, Lady Summer." Weiss replied quietly.

"No, no! We've talked about this," Summer winked. "No _Lady_."

"Ah, right," the princess smiled. "Good night, Summer."

Summer nodded to her, then exited her quarters. Weiss stayed in the balcony, looking over the city, thinking about faunus, death, and enigmatic redheads.

* * *

When Ruby finally made it back home, she was more tired than she had ever been in her life. She could barely hold on to her sword, and every step she took felt like a mile.

She was happy to discover Yang had already arrived too, or they would both have been in deep trouble. As she was, Ruby would have had no energy to find her sister, much less bring her back home.

Yang was sitting on a wooden chair, cleaning some clothes on a basin, when she saw her sister step inside, looking half-dead.

"Busy day?" the blonde asked, rising from her chair and reaching Ruby. "Looks like a busy day."

"The busiest," Ruby muttered, letting herself fall on her sister's arms. "And it was… Argh. Ozpin had me chasing faunus around the castle! I thought I was supposed to be a good person!"

"Well, they did try to murder the princess, didn't they? And it's your job to protect her…" Yang noted.

"You're not helping!"

Yang laughed and laid Ruby down her bed. Because of their not-exactly-luxurious lifestyle, their house consisted of only one large room, where they slept, cooked and ate. Most people would complain, but they actually found it very comfortable.

"Are you going moony yet?" Ruby asked worriedly, pushing past her tiredness.

"Not yet. We have got a bit of time left. Also, don't call it _moony_. It makes me sound crazy." Yang said.

"And…?"

"Well, that's only half true!"

The two shared a moment of silence, just appreciating the little time they could spend together each day. Then Yang ruffled Ruby's hair and rose to her feet.

"I'm proud of you, sister," she said. "Soon, you'll have the princess wrapped around your little finger."

"I don't want that," Ruby protested meekly. "Besides, she seems really snobby."

"She _is_ a princess. Isn't that her job, to be snobby?" Yang asked.

Ruby shrugged as a response. Yang nodded, then went to her cage and locked its door shut. She sat against the wall and closed her eyes, waiting for the Moon to start affecting her.

In the silence that followed, Ruby still couldn't sleep. She couldn't quite tell what it was, but there was something bothering her – like an invisible presence watching and listening to them. After several minutes of trying to fall asleep, she growled and got to her feet.

"I can't sleep," she explained quickly. "I'm going to take a walk outside."

"Be careful!" Yang warned through gritted teeth, her eyes slowly shifting from violet to red.

Ignoring her sister's increasingly wild behavior, Ruby opened the door to the house and stepped outside. She stood there for a moment, trying to determine what was bothering her… then turned to peek at the space to the side of the house. There was nothing there.

She grumbled and walked there, and then turned to the back of the building. Over the years, the sisters had managed to form a pile of trash there – from food to boxes to clothes that didn't fit them anymore. They saw it almost like a work of art.

Ruby stared at the pile intently, as if challenging it to move. For a full minute it remained still. She sighed exaggeratedly and began to walk back to where she came from…

Then turned around in a split second, catching sight of her watcher as they poked their head out behind the pile. Ruby exclaimed triumphantly and dove to catch the stranger, grabbing them by the fabric of their clothing and holding them to the ground.

A faunus girl stared at her, amber eyes stretched wide in panic as she tried to struggle free. Cat ears poked out of her long, black hair. Her skin was pale, but dirtied, and she seemed unhealthily thin, especially for her size.

"Hi." Ruby greeted.

"You… Let me go!" the faunus protested. "Let me go!"

"Hey! Stop it! I'm not going to hurt you!" the redhead said, trying to calm her down. "My name's Ruby."

The stranger glared at her, but stopped trashing. Apparently, Ruby's revealing of her name had earned some trust, if only a little. Carefully, Ruby let go of the other girl's clothes, and the faunus edged away to a safe distance.

"What's your name?" the guard asked.

"Why should I tell you?!" the faunus exclaimed.

"Because I can help you!" Ruby said. "Look, you're scared, and I know why. A faunus just tried to assassinate the princess heir, and now every guard in this town is intent on capturing your kind. You've probably been running from them all day."

"Yes…" the stranger mumbled. "But if that's the case, why should I trust you?"

Ruby took a step forward, only for the girl to take one back. The redhead stopped and gestured peacefully with open hands.

"I know a lot of faunus, alright? Not all of you are evil. You're just like humans in that sense," she said. "The faunus who tried to kill the princess was a member of the White Fang. Are you with the White Fang?"

"No. I don't even know who they are."

"Then you're not evil, and I don't need to turn you in."

The faunus stared at her silently, as if trying to determine how honest Ruby was being. After a while, her shoulders dropped, along with her guard.

"My name is Blake." She said.

"Nice to meet you, Blake," Ruby curtsied playfully. "Would you like some food?"

"…Yes." Blake replied hesitantly.

The redhead nodded and disappeared, leaving behind only a blurred image of herself. Blake blinked, startled by the girl's speed. She considered running away while she was alone, but… she was hungry, and Ruby seemed nice enough, for a human.

After a minute, Ruby returned with a plate of bread and a cup of water. She offered them to Blake, who took it, but didn't move away, as she had expected. Ruby smiled, content that she was finally allowed to stay near the faunus.

Blake eyed her suspiciously as she drank from the cup. When the water was gone, she raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you staring?" she asked.

"No reason," Ruby shrugged. "So, uhm… How old are you?"

"…Seventeen… I think," Blake replied. "Hard to tell when nobody celebrates your birthday."

"Ah. You're an escaped slave, then." Ruby said.

Blake leered at her, signaling very clearly that she didn't want to talk about the matter. Ruby smiled, deciding to comply with her wishes.

"I'm sorry you have to eat back here," the redhead said. "Believe me, if I brought you inside the house right now, you would never stay."

"Stay?" Blake frowned. "What do you mean _stay_?"

"Well, uhm… You're not planning on walking around the city, are you?" Ruby asked worriedly. "Like I said, the Guard is on a frenzy right now. If they as much as catch a glimpse of you…"

Blake took a bite of the bread. This situation seemed to get more perilous by the second.

"You can stay with us," Ruby offered meekly. "I have to work during the day, and Yang does too – that's my sister, by the way. You'd have the house all to yourself. But you would have to… adapt, some nights of the month."

"What?" Blake frowned.

"F-forget it! We'll explain to you tomorrow!" Ruby gulped. "Will you stay?"

Blake ate the last of the bread, then handed the plate over. She stared at Ruby for a long while before sighing.

"Yes."

"That's wonderful!" Ruby exclaimed. "I'll bring you a blanket!"

Before Blake could protest, the younger girl had blurred in and out of the house, bringing back a blanket and a pillow. The faunus blinked twice in disbelief as Ruby made a makeshift bed against the back of the house.

"…This doesn't mean we're friends." Blake said.

Ruby looked back at her, all excitement fading away in an instant. Blake instantly felt regret over her words, but she said nothing to correct them.

"Alright, if that's what you want…" Ruby muttered. "Good night, Blake."

She left without receiving a corresponding response. Blake waited a moment before laying her head down on the pillow and bringing the blanket up to cover her body. She closed her eyes, then unconsciously sniffed the bedding.

Strangely, it smelled a lot like roses.

* * *

 **And the plot begins.  
**

 **I won't be uploading _this_ frequently, just so you guys know. I only wanted to get an actual chapter out soon, so you also get an idea of what the rest of the story will be like. But you'll get a chapter every Wednesday!**

 **Note: I won't be putting _every single character_ in this story, but you'll have the majors... So Nora and Ren will appear, eventually. But I don't have plans to include team INDG, for example.**

 **Thank you for the warm reception! A few quick answer to a few quick questions: 1) That Weiss scene last chapter was in the present. Every passage that is not in italics is set in the present, unless stated otherwise; 2) I won't ruin the surprise of what ships will sail (but you got hints this chapter!); 3) Deaths will happen.**

 **-Zeroan**


	3. Royalty

Ruby sat on the edge of her bed, yawning and stretching her arms above her head to shake off her sleepiness. Normally, she would wake up full of energy, but apparently even a full night of sleep hadn't been enough for her to recover from the previous day's excitement. She wondered if every day would be like this from now on.

She got up and cast a look at her sister. Yang was sleeping soundly at the edge of her cage, covered by a brown, fuzzy blanket. Ruby smiled, happy that the night hadn't been too rough for her.

The redhead frowned as she prepared half a dozen of sandwiches for herself. She felt weird, as if she were forgetting something very important.

"Yang? Check," she mumbled under her breath. "Didn't sleep late? Yep. Hmm…" And then it hit her. "Blake!"

Ruby took a sandwich and sped outside and around the house. She found Blake tucked under her blanket, a peaceful expression on her sleeping face. The young Guardswoman stared at her hesitantly, not sure if she should wake the faunus up or not.

"Well, she must be hungry…" She whispered to herself, then slowly reached forward to poke Blake on the shoulder.

As soon as Ruby's finger connected, Blake's eyes shot open. With a screech, she jumped away from the redhead girl, inadvertently slamming her body against the wall of the house behind her.

"Blake!" Ruby exclaimed, astonished by the unexpected reaction. "It's me, Ruby!"

Blake looked at her with wide eyes, not parting from the wall. After a while, her breathing slowed to a normal pace. She looked away, seemingly embarrassed by her own actions.

"Sorry," she said briefly. "I don't have good memories of being woken by another person."

"Ah," Ruby wasn't sure what to say in response. "…Do you want a sandwich?"

Blake eyed the food suspiciously, but eventually took it from Ruby's hands and gave a small bite. Her eyes lit up as she felt the unfamiliar taste, and in a matter of seconds, the whole sandwich was gone.

"Wow. You eat almost as fast as me!" Ruby noted, impressed. "Do you want more?"

"Yes!" Blake exclaimed immediately. Then she looked down at her feet, as if she had committed a huge mistake and would be chastised for it. "I-I mean… If you'll allow it."

"Uh, sure," Ruby shrugged, thinking her new friend had a weird way of being polite. "Just follow me inside. Yang will be so happy to meet you!"

Before Blake could say anything, Ruby walked away. The faunus looked around nervously with half a mind to run away while she had the chance. But her stomach was growling, and now that she had felt the taste of _real_ food, she just couldn't resist, so she followed Ruby.

As they neared the front door, Blake mentally steeled herself for meeting this _Yang_ person. She couldn't be too bad, surely, if she was Ruby's sister. At least she wouldn't be a racist, which was more than could be said from most humans Blake had met in her life.

When they entered the house, Ruby gasped and spun, her hands flying upward to cover Blake's eyes. The faunus hissed and ducked, then ran to a corner far away from the redhead.

"Good day, Ruby!" An unknown voice came from the other side of the room. "Who's your friend?"

Blake's face turned even paler than usual when she faced the source of the voice, a girl with long blond hair and violet eyes. She was smiling friendly to her, which should have put Blake at ease, but there was one fact that got in the way of that.

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed embarrassedly. "You're naked!"

Yang looked down at herself and sighed, as if this wasn't the first time something like that happened. She wrapped herself with a blanket and exited her… cage, then set about to find an outfit to wear.

"Should I… be here?" Blake asked, her fear completely replaced by uneasiness.

"Oh, don't worry. This happens all the time!" Yang pointed out as she put on a skirt. "I'm Yang, by the way. And you are…?"

"Blake." The faunus answered cautiously.

Ruby appeared beside her, offering three sandwiches at once, as if they were a peace offering of sorts, which Blake accepted in a heartbeat.

When Yang was finally done dressing, she looked at Blake quizzically, then at her little sister.

"So, why did you bring a faunus to our house?" She asked.

Blake froze. The question was spoken in a genuine tone of voice, without a hint of anger or prejudice, but it still unnerved her. None of the siblings seemed to notice it, as Ruby looked at the ceiling with a coy expression on her face.

"I found her last night. Blake has nowhere to go, so I… offered her a place to stay…" She explained meekly, knowing her words wouldn't be well received.

"Yes, because that is a sensible thing to do. It's not like there is a death penalty for hiding a faunus from the Guard," Yang said, putting her hands on her hips. "Honestly, Ruby… Sometimes I don't know what goes on inside your head."

Ruby crossed her arms and pouted in a way that was certainly not appropriate for a girl her age. Yang sighed, then gestured to Blake with a hand.

"You can stay," she said. "But if you endanger us, I'll personally kick you out the door."

Blake nodded silently. She still wasn't comfortable with the arrangement, but she supposed she would have better luck staying with these two odd, but nonetheless welcoming sisters, than on her own.

Yang looked down at herself to make sure there was nothing wrong with her clothing, then walked towards the door. Before crossing the doorway, she looked back at Blake and pointed at the ground sternly.

"You don't step past this line, alright?" She ordered, and received another silent nod in response. "Good. Have a nice day. Don't cross the princess, Ruby!"

Ruby stuck her tongue out at Yang as she walked away. Blake frowned, not understanding that last exchange, but she was too shy to ask about it.

"Well, I'm off to work too," Ruby said after swallowing half a dozen sandwiches in less than thirty seconds. "I'll be back by nightfall!"

"Wait!" Blake exclaimed without thinking about it first. "…What am I supposed to do all day?"

Ruby looked around the house thoughtfully for a few seconds before her face lit up and she darted to a drawer. After opening it, she retrieved a book from it and offered it to Blake.

"Here!" The redhead said excitedly. "That's my favorite book! It's about fairy tales. Heroes and dragons, you know?"

"Ah," Blake looked at the cover of the book weirdly. "Yes. Thank you. I'll… read it…"

Ruby nodded, then ran off the house.

Blake continued to stare at the book, a sense of helplessness filling her. After a while, she put it down on a bed and sat on the cold floor, not knowing what else to do with her free time.

* * *

The castle was oddly quiet as Weiss made her way through its long corridors, nothing but faint whispers and footsteps reaching her ears. The previous day's ruckus had clearly shaken the nobility – and though the princess would like to think it was because her life had almost been ended, she knew it was more likely that the nobles were afraid for their own lives.

She had received word upon leaving her room that general Ozpin had doubled the Guard in the castle, and so Weiss had come across more than a few soldiers. The sight of so many guns and swords ready to jump to her defense was comforting, but she would be lying if she said she didn't feel vulnerable. All it would take to kill her was a well-timed bullet, as yesterday had demonstrated.

She was nearing the throne room when she caught a glimpse of something red to her right. There weren't words to describe her relief as she turned to face who she thought was Ruby… But then she was surprised to notice it was the Lady Summer, a red cloak fixed around her shoulders as she walked in a curiously fast manner.

"Lady Summer!" Weiss exclaimed, hoping to slow down the woman for a brief conversation.

Summer spun around and reached behind her back, as if to draw an unseen weapon. Once she noticed it was Weiss who had called her, though, she hurried to correct her mistake with an elaborate bow.

"Princess. My apologies, I did not realize it was you," she said. "I'm afraid everyone is jumpy as of late… Even I."

She smiled roguishly, making Weiss wonder if she was jesting with her. As far as Weiss knew, Summer was as much a fighter as any other Valesian noble, which did not mean much at all.

"I'm guilty of the same," the princess said. "Where are you going that you have to walk so quickly, and with a cloak on your shoulders, no less?"

"The town, of course," Summer replied. "I like to eat my bread warm, and the best bakeries are not in the castle… But don't let chef Port know I said that."

"I see," Weiss found the motive rather odd, but Summer wasn't the most conventional of people, so she decided to let the matter go. "I just wanted to thank you for your kind visit last night. It calmed down enough to allow me to sleep."

"It was my pleasure," the redhead noble fumbled with her cloak, as if she were anxious to leave. "I'm afraid I don't have much time for pleasantries, my princess. Might I go, now?"

Though she was slightly offended by how abruptly their conversation had ended, Weiss nodded her consent. Summer curtsied briefly, then turned and walked away, her steps echoing loudly throughout the castle halls.

Weiss managed to take three steps before being surprised again. Ruby appeared, racing around a corner with a hand on her pistol. The princess gasped and steeled herself, thinking they were under attack.

"Princess!" The redhead girl huffed in relief, wiping the sweat off her brow. "P-pardon me!"

"Pardon you?" Weiss asked confusedly. "For what reason?"

"I'm… I'm late!" Ruby exclaimed. To the princess's fright, she then dropped to her knees and hugged her legs. "I'm so sorry! I got up early, but I got distracted by the smell of food, and then I realized a whole hour had passed, and I had to run back here, and I'm so, so sorry!"

For the first time in her life, Weiss was speechless. She had dealt with overly excited servants before, but none of them had talked so fast, and much less hugged her legs. Most people would rather put their hand inside a burning fireplace than dare touch the princess heir.

"It's… It's alright, Ruby. You're pardoned." Weiss managed to say after a while.

"Oh, thank you!" Ruby yelled. "You're the best princess I've ever met!"

"…Can you let go of my legs now?"

Ruby shuffled to her feet embarrassedly, then assumed a rigid posture, as if she were a battle-hardened veteran, and not a sixteen-years-old girl. Weiss cleared her throat, trying to regain her regal air. However, there was one question bothering her greatly.

"How many princesses have you met, Ruby?" She asked suspiciously.

"Only you, my princess." Ruby answered immediately.

Weiss stared at her, trying to divine if she was being played for a fool or if Ruby hadn't realized the mistake in her words. After a while, Weiss just shook her head and decided to not trouble herself with the matter anymore.

"I am going to see my sister in the throne room now," she said. "I expect you to be prepared to defend me at a moment's notice."

"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed dutifully, then frowned. "I mean… Yes, milady!"

Weiss held back a sigh and started to walk again, Ruby following close behind. The princess wondered if every day would go like this from then on.

* * *

Blake peered over the edge of the roof she was laying down on, her sensitive nose picking up on tens of different delicious smells coming from the town square below.

After hours of doing nothing at Ruby's house, the faunus had taken a hash decision and left, even though Yang had prohibited it. She doubted either of the sisters would notice, as long as she got back before they did.

Now, as she watched over the happening in the town, she wondered if she should even come back at all. The Guard's presence did not seem as overwhelming as yesterday's, and that had been the main reason she had sought a safe, hidden place to stay at. And she wouldn't go hungry in the streets – with so many busy vendors, she could probably manage to steal a few small pieces for herself.

Her stomach growled at the thought of food. Blake hesitated for a brief moment, feeling nervous about the sheer amount of humans nearby, before dropping down to the alleyway beside the house she had climbed on top of. She took a deep breath to gather her courage, then walked into the square with a serene expression on her face.

Not a minute passed before a woman screeched and pointed at her. Blake's eyes widened. Suddenly she was surrounded by humans from every direction, and behind those came soldiers running at her, brandishing spears and firearms.

"Guard!"

"A beast! _A beast_!"

"Get it, get it!"

Blake turned and took off in a sprint. One of the civilian men stood in her way, but she jumped over him, even going so far as to gain more momentum by kicking at the back of his head. She rushed through the air and landed on a roof ungracefully, crashing against the hard tiles and almost rolling back down to the ground.

The Guard followed her, one of them drawing a pistol and shooting. A bullet cut the air beside her right ear. She had been scared enough already, but that was the breaking point. Without hesitation, Blake got to her feet and ran as fast as she could, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, somehow avoiding all the bullets being shot in her direction.

After minutes upon minutes of running, she slowed down, having finally managed to lose the soldiers. Blake fell down on her back, breathing heavily and with feeling sick at the stomach.

She was never leaving the house again.

* * *

"Yes, I assure you, the matter in being taken care of. General Ozpin himself is managing the castle Guard. Your chambers have never been safer."

Winter forced a smile to the latest noble in a long line before the throne. She had expected something like this to happen, but for more than a hundred different noble families to come bothering her about their security… It was too much, even for her famous patience.

The worst of the situation is that, for the past two hours, she had been able to see her little sister waiting at a corner of the throne room. The one person who had the right to be making demands of her was the also the only one courteous enough to not do it.

Before the next noble could approach her, Winter stood up and raised an open palm.

"This has been enough for the day. I ask forgiveness of those that I could not answer directly. Just know that you have nothing to fret about," she said. When the crowd before her began an uproar, her eyes straight and she spoke once again, this time with an elevated tone of voice. " _Enough_. You are free to leave."

Polite words, but their meaning was very clear. The nobles left as one, now quiet and solemn.

Weiss finally came before her, hands on her hips and a fierce look on her eyes. She opened her mouth to utter some heated statement, but then cut herself short and looked behind her at a redhead soldier than had followed her a tad too closely.

"Ruby," the princess's tone was a combination of annoyance and disbelief. "You don't need to keep so close to me. Wait back at the doors."

"Right! Yes! Pardon me, my princess!" The soldier yelled, then winced and looked at Winter. "Pardon me, my queen!"

"Ruby!"

"Right! I'll be over there!"

Winter stared in silent wonder as the so-called Ruby trotted off to the entrance of the room. She wasn't allowed to muse for too long, however, as Weiss was now glaring at her again.

"So," the princess said. "I almost got killed yesterday."

"Yes. I'm very sorry about that. That faunus should never have gotten inside the castle, much less to you," Winter stated. "Ozpin will make sure it never happens again. I trust him to do an impeccable job."

"That's not the issue," Weiss crossed her arms and looked away. "You did not even bother to visit me after it happened. Lady Summer was there for me."

Winter's gaze softened for a moment, but then her stare morphed into something else, though Weiss couldn't tell if it was suspicion or worry.

"You seem to have gotten awfully close with her as of late," she pointed out. "Is there something you want to tell me, Weiss?"

The princess's face reddened with fury. From anyone else, she might have taken the question as a joke, but not Winter. Her sister's last joke had come when she wasn't yet queen.

"No. As I said, she was there for me," Weiss said curtly. "Not you."

"I'm sorry," Winter's voice contradicted her words. "I couldn't simply leave the council in the wake of such a drastic event, even if you were a victim of it. I have always made clear what comes first for the ruler of Vale."

"Not family." The princess said bitterly, then turned and walked away without another word.

She shoved the doors open, too furious to bother behaving elegantly. She could hear Ruby following behind her, but she didn't cast a single glance to her.

"Wow," Ruby said after a while. "That was really… sad."

Weiss grinded to a halt, then looked at her bodyguard with shock and confusion.

"What?!" She asked loudly.

"You and the queen, I mean. I just think it's really sad that she didn't come to see you," Ruby explained meekly. "Though you were quite harsh with her too."

"Excuse me?" Weiss's rage resurfaced. "You're not here to share your uninformed opinions with me! In fact, you shouldn't even _talk_ to me unless strictly necessary!"

Ruby looked down at her feet and nodded slightly. Weiss's gaze was fixed on her, as if she were waiting to see if she had anything else to say.

"Good. Now you understand. And, before you ask a hundred times, you are pardoned," Weiss said. "And I wasn't too harsh. Winter is always like that. _My duty this, my duty that_. Duty to the _kingdom_ , of course, and nothing else."

"Uhm…" Ruby looked at her frightfully. "Do you want me to respond…?"

"No, you dolt!" The princess exclaimed. "I'm going back to my chambers."

She took off in a rigid march. Ruby followed, punching herself mentally for being so untactful.

* * *

Pyrrha took a deep breath as she left the oppressive walls of the castle and entered the open air. Back in her home kingdom of Mistral, nowhere felt so tight and imprisoning as Vale. A few days after her arrival, she had taken the habit of going on strolls as frequently as she could, so she didn't feel sick by staying inside.

Not that she hated Vale – there were many things she found beautiful and admirable about it. The townspeople, for one, seemed much closer together, perhaps because of the dangerous location they lived in. The winter season, as terrible as it was, was also quite fantastic in her eyes. The way a blizzard concealed the town in a snowy globe, while still allowing everyone inside to look up at the sky, was breathtaking.

And, of course, the warriors. She had traveled to many places and met their men and women of battle, but none of them matched the skill and strength of the Valesians. Most of all, there seemed to burn a fire inside every soldier in the kingdom, an undying determination to see themselves and their loved ones through the harshest of times – being it winter or war.

Consequently, she had spent a lot of her time searching for someone to teach her their ways. She was already powerful enough in her own right, but her masters had taught her a true warrior should seek to learn at least a little bit from every people they met.

Unfortunately, the Vale soldiers did not seem to share her enthusiasm about battle. Coupled with the recent assassination attempt of the princess heir, that made it very difficult for her to convince to spar with her, even for a minute.

Well, except for one of them. Jaune Arc had been happy to oblige her requests, though he seemed very awkward compared to his fellow Guardsmen. She hoped he would agree to repeat their session at least once more.

After a few minutes of walking around the outer castle gardens, she finally spotted the boy standing on top of the walls surrounding the keep, sword and shield at the ready. Pyrrha grinned and decided to surprise him.

She ran and jumped towards the wall, her feet clashing against it as she sprinted her way upward. She finished her ascension with an elaborate flip of her body, landing just to his right.

Jaune yelped and let go of his sword, which went flying over the rail. He clumsily reached forward to retrieve from thin air before it fell down below, but in doing it, almost fell too. Pyrrha grabbed by the back of his uniform and hauled him back.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed. "I didn't mean to startle you!"

"I-I wasn't startled," Jaune said nervously. "Alright, maybe I was startled. But it's not every day a girl runs up the wall and falls standing up by my side!"

"Sorry," she apologized again. She repeated the word so often, he was beginning to wonder if it was some sort of catchphrase. "Are you on guard?"

"Yes," he huffed. "It's the most boring job in the kingdom."

Pyrrha smiled in sympathy. She thought it was an important duty to carry, but she supposed she would be bored too if she were in his place. She looked down at his weapons and frowned.

"Let's suppose a group of White Fang comes to assault the castle. After you sound the warning bells, how would you fight them without firearms?" She asked.

"Firearms?" Jaune repeated anxiously. "I'm not good with those. When the other novices and I went to practice, my pistol blew up in my face. The General said I should stick to a sword and a shield from then on."

"But… Firearms can't just blow up like that, unless they're defective," she drew her rifle from behind her back and shook it slightly. "It's completely safe… Though I suppose if you somehow tampered with the powder…"

"Uh, yeah… The powder," Jaune forced a laugh. "My pistol must have been defective, I guess."

Pyrrha doubted the general would distribute defective weaponry to the novices, but she decided to not argue. Firearms were very powerful, but she much preferred the classics like blades and shields, so Jaune was still a good sparring partner.

That thought made her remember why she had come to see him in the first place. Pyrrha opened her mouth to ask him if he wanted to spar after his shift was over, but then she noticed how tired he looked. He must have been standing there for hours already.

She shook her head and decided to not bother him. Uttering a brief farewell, she turned and began to leave, but he gripped her by the arm, halting her movement.

"Don't you want you to see the sunset?" He asked curiously.

She frowned confusedly. As far as she knew, the sunset wasn't visible during the Vale winter, as there was always a blizzard in the way. But then she looked behind him and noticed a strange glow in the horizon. The orange of sunlight and the white of the snow mixed together and rained down on the whole city.

Pyrrha's eyes wavered as she smiled.

"Wow. I didn't know something like this existed," she muttered. "It's breathtaking."

"I know, right? It's why I volunteered for guard duty today," Jaune said. "No matter how tedious it gets, it's worth it for this this view."

"Yes. Thank you for showing it to me, Jaune," Pyrrha hugged him. "Can we watch it again tomorrow?"

Jaune nodded, then stood there awkwardly as she hugged him. It was both disconcerting and unbelievable that a girl like Pyrrha was giving him so much attention. With that in mind, he could only come to one conclusion about the hug…

It had to be another strange Mistralian custom.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Weiss was snappy and impatient, and made a point to keep Ruby at the farthest possible distance away from her at all times. The young soldier would have been upset at the treatment, if she didn't think the princess had legitimate reason for being that way. Ruby knew if Yang were to cast her aside for any reason at all, she would act just like Weiss.

Maybe a _little_ less, though.

When dusk came, she was relieved from duty by a pair of soldiers that would guard the princess's room throughout the night. Ruby was very happy to leave the castle, mostly because she wasn't half as tired as she was by the end of the previous day.

She arrived at home half an hour later, slowly opening the door as if she were some kind of invader. Blake was sitting on the floor, eyeing her fingers distractedly, but she got up as soon as she heard Ruby come in.

"Hi," the redhead said awkwardly. "How was your day?"

"It was… nice," there was a suspicious pause to Blake's speech, though Ruby might have just imagined it. "What about yours?"

"Oh, it was fine. Stood around. Got yelled at by the princess heir…"

Just like in the morning, Blake latched on to her words. So Ruby _did_ work for the royal family, in some way or another. The thought was disconcerting for the faunus, but she decided to not say anything about it.

"Did you like the book?" Ruby asked.

"Huh?" Blake frowned, not understanding what she was talking about.

"The book. Fairytales?" The redhead tilted her head to the side curiously. "Did you like it?"

"I…" The faunus looked at her feet shamefully. "I don't know how to read."

Ruby stared at her confusedly for a few seconds, then slapped herself in the forehead.

"I'm so sorry! That was so stupid of me!" she said, halfway between embarrassment and guilt. Of course Blake didn't know how to read – she was an escaped slave, where would she have learned to read?

"Don't worry about it," Blake said somberly. "I should have said something before."

That wasn't enough to alleviate Ruby of her guilt, though. She paced around the house, thinking of a way to make up for her blunder. Suddenly, her face lit up and she ran to the book and then to Blake.

"I'll teach you!" She exclaimed.

"W-what?" Blake shook her head. "No! That's…" She fished for an excuse, not sure why she was so resistant to the idea herself. "You don't have to."

"I _want_ to, though," Ruby spoke with such finality, Blake was forced to accept it was going to happen. "I guess we should start with the letters… Wait a moment, I need pen and paper… Pen and paper…"

As Blake watched helplessly as Ruby wandered around the house, trying to find the utensils necessary for the job, fear began to flood her system. What if she couldn't understand any of what Ruby tried to teach her? What if they spent weeks on the effort, and she wasn't able to read even a small sentence? This kind of fear was new to her, and even more terrifying because of it.

"Uhm…" She gulped, trying to find a way to stall the inevitable. "Where's your sister?"

"Yang? Tonight's the night. I mean, the _night_ night," Ruby stopped her search and bit on her lower lip. "I guess we never explained it to you, did we?"

"No!" Blake exclaimed, relieved that she had somehow succeeded in her plan. "You should probably explain it now."

"I guess," Ruby sighed. "The sooner the better."

The redhead sat on the edge of her bed and tapped her foot on the ground. She had never explained Yang's… _condition_ , to anyone before. A wrong choice of wording could result in Blake running away, so she had to be very careful.

"Let me put it this way… Yang draws her power from the Moon. She's really, really tough. You could shoot her repeatedly, and she wouldn't get hurt." Ruby told.

Blake's eyebrows rose slowly as she listened. It already sounded like a tall tale.

"The thing is, there are certain nights of the month when the Moon is highest. Not exactly, it's like… It's position… Look, I'm not a scientist. Not even Yang knows exactly what triggers it," Ruby shook her head in frustration. "These nights affect her really badly. She loses control of herself and… gets very violent."

"…That explains the nakedness this morning," Blake noted. "So yesterday had a night like those?"

"Today too. It's like a cycle. Seven nights, the fourth being the worst one for her," the redhead winced. "And that's tonight. She gets so wild, we decided it was best for her to be outside the city."

Blake took a moment to take in all the facts, then slowly nodded her head.

"That's it?" Ruby asked worriedly. "You're not scared or anything?"

"Not really. You two seem to have the situation under control," the faunus said. "Besides, Yang seems like a handy person to have around if the Guard comes looking for faunus."

"I'm glad you're taking it so well!" Ruby exclaimed happily. "Now, let's get to the learning!"

Blake cursed herself mentally, regretting moving through the conversation so quickly. Now she would have to face her cruel fate.

* * *

The blizzard howled in Yang's ears as she walked away from Vale's outer walls. She was still in control of herself, but each step she took became harden than the last, and her fists were clenching without her wishing it.

The way she was clothed, with only a skirt and a cotton shirt, anyone else would have frozen to death already. But the Moon's power was seeping into her in full, generating heat around her body as if she were a living furnace.

In the whiteness of the horizon, she began to see red eyes popping into existence, together with predatory howls and snarls. Grimm surrounded her from all sides, eyeing her like a dinner ready for the taking.

She smiled.

Violet to red.

Time for the hunt.

* * *

 **Oh dayum.  
**

 **This chapter turned out to be pretty long. I did not expect this size at all. I think this might be the average length this story!**

 **To clarify your questions about the technology in this story. This setting is pretty much pre-Industrial Revolution stuff (which is not Victorian Era, as far I know. I just use that to describe it because that's kinda easier to picture at first read. If someone knows a better short word for description, I would appreciate if you shared it). So we have firearms, but not modern ones. For all intents and purposes, it doesn't make much difference, because they're practically the same as in the show.**

 **Thank you very, very much for the reviews, follows and favorites! I really appreciate you guys reading this story! Thaaank you!**

 **-Zeroan**


	4. Naivety

Days passed by unnoticed, leading Vale deeper into the cold of winter. As the weeks went on, people started to retreat to their homes earlier, longing for the warmth of their families and their fireplaces.

With time, Ruby grew used to her new frantic routine. She would wake up every day and head to work, where she would keep the princess heir safe and sound. While Weiss wasn't as harsh to her as she had been during the first day, she was far from being kind or even friendly. Ruby was bothered by the odd demeanor, not for herself, but because she felt the princess was hiding some very unpleasant emotions.

When dusk came, she was free to go back home. Yang always asked her about how her work had been, almost as if she was waiting for a sign to go bash the princess's head or something equally treasonous. While Yang was proud of her sister's capability and independence, she would much prefer she worked somewhere she was properly appreciated.

But what really had Ruby waiting anxiously to go back home was Blake. There was something very satisfying about teaching the faunus to read and other similar things, and, after some time, Blake started to break out of her shell, even displaying a somewhat cheery attitude – in her own quiet way.

Overall, this winter was shaping up to be the best in her life. She had an important job to maintain a welcoming home to come back to. Ruby couldn't ask for anything else, except for everything to stay that way forever.

* * *

"Ruby!"

The young knightess startled awake and found herself at the end of a fierce glare from Weiss. She had somehow dozed off against one of the princess's room, when she should have been keeping watch at the balcony for any possible intruders.

She found the day's task rather unnecessary, since the princess was inside the room, and with company too. A painter had been called to perpetuate Weiss's image at her seventeen years of age – apparently, there was a long-standing tradition in the royal family, where every single member of it would have themselves painted once a year.

Even Velvet was there, the rabbit faunus _slave_ , frantically moving around to attend to the princess's needs. Ruby was more than displeased by Velvet's condition, but at least she could take solace in the fact that she wasn't mistreated, outside of heated tones of voice directed at her. The redhead made a point to be as kind to her as possible without angering Weiss.

"Well?" The princess intoned, becoming even angrier when she noticed her bodyguard was drifting off once again. "Did you spot any assassin in your daydreams?"

"N-no, my princess," Ruby gulped. "They were very pleasant."

"I could tell," Weiss's eyes narrowed. "Don't do it again, or I'll be having a talk with the General. He would be very embarrassed to learn his protégé was sleeping at work."

Ruby nodded energetically until the princess rolled her eyes and turned back to face the painter. The man scratched his chin, dirtying his clothes with the end of his brush without noticing. Ruby muffled a giggle and looked away innocently.

"Your Highness, it might be best for you to lift your chin a bit higher, and look a little to your left. I believe that would provide a wondrous angle," the painter said, and Weiss shuffled around in her seat to follow his suggestion. When she was over, he still didn't look too pleased. "Hmm… There is something missing…"

"Missing?" Weiss repeated self-consciously.

"It is not a matter of beauty, my princess. I assure you, in that, you are unmatched," he shook his head. "But the image lacks a certain kind of… personality."

Ruby and Velvet shared a look and braced themselves, expecting Weiss to be outraged at his explanation. It sounded like he was accusing her of having no personality, or something close enough to that.

"Allow me to explain myself further," the painter said fearfully, noticing a dangerous change in the way the princess stared at him. "A painting like this should not only perpetuate your physical appearance, but also _who_ you are. For example, your sister the Queen's painting depicted her signing a treaty. When one admires that painting, what can he or she gather from it?"

"That she signs a lot of treaties!" Ruby chirped, eager to prove herself wise amongst the nobility.

"…No," the painter replied dryly. "It depicts her as a collected and just ruler, wise enough to settle the matters of her kingdom with a pen than with a sword."

"Ah, yes," Ruby nodded slowly. "That was my second thought."

Weiss glared at her bodyguard, silently ordering her to cease her foolish attempts at interpreting royal paintings.

"What do you suggest for my painting, then?" She asked.

"As the princess heir, you possess some qualities your sister simply cannot hold. You are the next in line, and so you are like a symbol of hope that the lineage will go on," the painter mused. "And _that_ brings you closer to the people. While the queen rules them, the princess watches over with kindness."

Ruby couldn't help but feel like the painter had lost the reason of his explanation midway through it, but she didn't know much about nobility, as Weiss had pointed out many times already, so she stayed quiet.

"Right," Weiss frowned. She didn't seem too fond of the idea either. "I'm closer to the people."

"Yes!" The painter exclaimed joyously, then pointed at Ruby. The redhead almost jumped out the balcony in her startled surprise. "You even go so far as to have a commoner as a personal bodyguard. Perhaps she could be depicted in your painting to demonstrate that kindness and tolerance! Yes, that would be marvelous indeed! Come, Ruby, is that her name? Come-"

"No," Weiss interrupted firmly, that single word silencing the painter as if she'd stood up and pointed a blade at his throat. "We are finished for today. Come back next week with a better idea."

He nodded mutely and exited the room, taking his painting materials with him. Ruby stared with puzzlement as the princess crossed her arms and looked at her feet with her lips forming a straight, narrow line.

Velvet stood around awkwardly and looked at Ruby for help, but the redhead just shrugged, not knowing that to make of the scene either. Hesitantly, the faunus filled a glass with cool water and approached the princess.

"M-milady?" The faunus called. "Maybe you would like a glass to refresh yourself?"

"Humph. Thank you, Velvet," Weiss said shortly. "I have no further need of your services. You may go."

Velvet nodded gratefully and left the room hurriedly. Weiss took a sip of her water, then stood from her seat and walked to the balcony. She stared at the city below intensely, while Ruby stood behind her, not sure if she should speak up or not. She did not have to come to a decision, though, as the princess, for the first time since they had met, took it upon herself to start a conversation.

"Tell me, Ruby," she spoke heavily. "What do the people _really_ think of me?"

"I… Well…" The redhead scratched her head, stalling for time. The last thing she wanted to do was say something that would upset the princess even more. "They don't think much about you. Everyone is too busy carrying on their lives to wonder about yours."

"I see," Weiss sighed. "So there would be no difference if I did not exist?"

"No!" Ruby exclaimed. "You are important. I mean, you're part of the royal line. People look up to you and your sister. And… Well, if you didn't exist, I wouldn't have a job."

Surprisingly enough, a smile appeared on Weiss's face. It wasn't wide, but it was sincere.

"I appreciate your kind words, Ruby, but we both know they're not true – at least not fully so," she said. "My parents weren't assassinated because people looked up to them, but because they were hated by some. I can blame the White Fang all I want, but I'm sure there were many other groups that were glad to see them gone too," Weiss shook her head. "I imagine there are many who would welcome my death, as well as my sister's."

"That's…" Ruby's voice trailed off. She really wanted to cheer up the princess, but it was hard to lie about a matter so massive and intricate.

"You are the living proof of that, Ruby," Weiss reminded. "I came _this_ close to dying the day we met… And that was the work of the White Fang, our loudest enemies. I fear what would happen if more discreet forces began to take action against the throne."

Ruby shook her head, at a loss for what to say. If there was one thing she had learned about Weiss the past weeks, it was that she could be as stubborn as a Grimm most of time. The young bodyguard decided that it was better to stay silent and let the princess mull over her own words.

She would quickly come to regret that decision when Weiss snapped her fingers and turned to face her with a victorious curve to her lips.

"I will visit the town tomorrow, to learn how my people truly live!"

"What?!" Ruby blurted out. "That's insane!"

"Oh, shut it. I'll have you to protect me, if it's my safety you're worried about," Weiss crossed her arms. "And who are you to call the princess heir insane? I could have you thrown in jail for that insolence."

"I'm sorry…" The redhead looked down at her feet meekly. "I just don't think that's sensible, is all…"

Weiss huffed and turned her back to her, determined to see her plan through. Ruby could only mentally fret about the numerous ways everything could go wrong.

* * *

Blake's eyes flew along the letters of her current book, occasionally halting to examine a word that was spelled in a complicated or unexpected manner. She had surprised both Ruby and herself with how quickly she'd mastered reading, having already gone through half of the fairy tale book's chapters. Reading out loud was still a struggle, mostly because she felt foolish when she did it, especially when she would speak a word incorrectly and her friends would laugh about it.

 _Friends_. It felt weird to think that way. For all her life, Blake hadn't had the opportunity, or even the will, to make friends. She had had fellow slaves who she would share a cage with, but they were too miserable to even speak to each other. Now, she wondered how she had been able to live like that, without the support of another person.

At first, she had been wary of Yang, mostly because she had made it very clear that she would kick her out the door as soon as a mistake was made. But it wasn't long before Blake understood that Yang only said those things because she cared for Ruby's safety – and now, she had a feeling she would be given the benefit of the doubt, not condemned immediately.

Yang was… unusual, to put it mildly. She had a youthful appearance and a cheerful attitude to accompany it, but she was the one who cooked, cleaned the house, made sure they were healthy… There was a motherly sense to her, and Blake was quick to embrace that.

Ruby… Blake was not sure how she felt about her. Sometimes, she was just a young girl, laughing and playing around like someone below her age. She would speak hours upon hours about her favorite tales, as if she lived in a whole other fantasy world…

And then other times, she appeared to be a completely different person, a warrior too hardened for her few years. Blake would often catch her hands flying to her sword and pistol when she heard suspicious footsteps nearing the house, and every time that happened, her silver eyes would change – how, Blake could not describe, but it would chill her to her bones.

She made Blake feel safe, but differently from how Yang did it. She could spend hours with her and not even once think about what she had lived through for the first seventeen years of her life. It was an effect both marvelous and frightening.

That was why, when the door to the house opened, Blake immediately closed her book and smiled.

"Hi, Ruby." She greeted, trying to keep a level tone despite her joy.

Yang stepped inside and raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Not Ruby." She stated simply.

"Oh. Hi, Yang," Blake frowned. "I'm sorry. You've never arrived before Ruby before."

"That _is_ true," Yang chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she runs all the way from the castle to here every day."

"It sounds like something she would do."

Yang filled a glass with water for herself and turned to look at the faunus. Blake's eyes wandered around the house awkwardly. She wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but they had never been alone before, and Blake didn't know how to start a conversation in that situation.

"Can I… ask a question?" Blake spoke hesitantly. "It's a tad personal."

"I love personal questions!" Yang exclaimed.

"Ah," the faunus dwindled her thumbs, wondering how to proceed. "You and Ruby… Well, you don't look alike… at all. Are you _real_ sisters?"

Yang rolled her eyes, as if she had heard that question a great deal of times already.

"Yes, we are real sisters," she replied. "Though we have different mothers. Our father was quite the gentleman, if you get my meaning," she winked playfully. A moment passed as she looked to the side, a contemplative look on her face. "My mother died when I was a baby, so I never met her. So Ruby's mother was mine too, practically."

"I see," Blake nodded. "I'm sorry. That was an insensitive question to ask."

"Pff! Don't worry about it!" Yang rolled her eyes. "I mean, when I start asking about slavery and such things, then we'll be having insensitive questions!" A moment passed before she winced. "And _that_ was an insensitive joke. Sorry."

Blake shrugged. It did upset her to be reminded of that, but she didn't want Yang to be treating her like a fragile doll.

Not too long after, Ruby entered the house with a dreadful expression on her face. Yang hummed and put a hand on her chin, trying to deduce what was happening with her sister.

"Let me guess," she said. "Princess High and Mighty yelled at you again."

"No," Ruby frowned. "Actually, she was kind of nice. We had a conversation… I think…" She groaned. "She's decided she's going on a secret mission tomorrow."

"A secret mission?" Blake repeated curiously.

"She wants to visit the town without anyone knowing," the redhead pretend to weep openly. "And I'm supposed to protect her."

Yang shook her head in disapproval. That was such a princess-like idea to have; going to the town unprotected to learn how the _peasants_ lived. As if that would do any good to anyone.

"So, what's the worst that can happen?" She asked tiredly. "It's not anyone knows what she looks like."

"Silver hair." Ruby stated matter-of-factly.

"Even so. If anyone tries to kill her, you'll be there to protect her. You and the whole Guard." Yang pointed out.

"She doesn't _want_ the Guard to know she's there!" The redhead exclaimed in frustration. "Look, I need your help. Can you come along, just to make sure she's safe?"

Yang pretended to consider the matter for a few seconds, then smiled widely.

"You mean I can take the opportunity to harass a snobby princess who has been demeaning my little sister at every moment possible? Yes." She cracked her knuckles, her eyes flashing red for a moment, as if she were making several malicious plans already.

"I might regret asking for your help," Ruby realized. She turned to look at her other friend. "Blake?"

The faunus looked at her confusedly.

"You want me to come too?" She asked. "You know I'm not a warrior. I can't help you."

"That's not why I'm asking," Ruby smiled. "I thought you'd like to explore the town a bit. You'd be safe with us around."

Blake frowned and looked away, not liking the idea one bit. Her first attempt at going out of the house had also been her last. But Ruby neared her in the blink of an eye, joining her hands together and staring at her pleadingly. Blake tried to divert her eyes, but it was hard to ignore Ruby when she acted like that.

"Even if I wanted to go, I wouldn't be able to," she argued. "I would be recognized immediately, and then I would be captured and you two would be executed."

"The princess would be in trouble too," Yang added. "Which almost makes it worth the death penalty."

"We can cover you cat ears!" Ruby suggested. "A hat, or… A bow!"

Blake was about to say that would never work, but Ruby was already running around the house searching for something to solve their problem. Yang chuckled at the faunus' dismayed face.

After a few minutes, Ruby found something. Ignoring Blake's protests, she spun around her and fixed something on her head, then pushed her in front of a mirror. Blake inspected her reflection and discovered a bow made of a purple silk ribbon was covering her feline ears.

"Ruby!" Yang stifled a giggle. "She can't go out like that! It looks ridiculous!"

Blake nodded fervently.

"No, it doesn't!" Ruby pouted and crossed her arms. "I think it looks cute."

Blake stopped nodding and tilted her head to the side, as if to assess Ruby's statement for herself. She felt both of the sister's stares on the back of her head, pressuring her into a decision. After a while, she turned and shrugged.

"This will have to do." She said.

"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed happily. "This will be fantastic! An adventure with my sister, my best friend, and a princess!"

"Hooray," Yang echoed dryly. "I can't wait until it all goes wrong."

* * *

"Oh, it's all going to go wrong…"

Weiss looked up with obvious annoyance, her face and silver hair barely concealed beneath a gray cowl. She had also gone the length of arranging a simple white dress, knowing that a girl wearing one of her usual clothes in town would attract a lot of unwanted attention. She thought the whole plan was very smart, but Ruby clearly didn't agree.

"Ruby, _nothing_ is going to go wrong," the princess chided. "The only way people would recognize me is if I showed my hair, but it's hidden. That's what the cowl is for."

"I know. You said that already…"

Weiss checked her belt for her rapier. It wasn't the most common of weapons to brand around, but she thought it would be safer to have it at hand than to leave it behind to keep up appearances.

She heard something being muttered about stubbornness and princesses, but when she looked at Ruby, she had her mouth shut tight.

"I'm ready," Weiss said. "Let us go. May the Moon watch over us."

"Milady, we're going to need more than the Moon watching over us." Ruby commented nervously.

"Shush!"

The bodyguard counted to five mentally, then started to move, Weiss following close behind.

Luckily, Ruby had been able to convince the princess away from leaving the castle by climbing down a rope from her balcony, but their exit would still be difficult. They would have to go through the front entrance, and until they reached it, there was a big risk of them coming across someone who would recognize Weiss's face and report their escapade to the queen.

The Moon really seemed to be watching over them, because they managed to avoid any of that and reach the outside of the castle. Ruby sighed in relief and continued walking towards the front archway, gaining confidence with every step, until a familiar voice shouted at her from above.

"Hey! Ruby!"

Weiss panicked and hid behind Ruby. She only realized how ridiculous the effort was when had already gone through it, and by then it was too late to go back.

Ruby looked up and saw Jaune Arc standing on top of the wall, grinning jovially at her, with lady Pyrrha at his side. She would have wondered why the two were together, but her current situation left her little room for that.

"H-hi!" She squealed, and felt a kick on the back of her ankle.

"Sound _more_ guilty, will you!" Weiss whispered.

"How are you doing, Jaune?" Ruby asked loudly, hoping to appear casual and avoid suspicion.

"I'm fine," he replied, a frown appearing on his forehead. "Aren't you supposed to be guarding the princess or something?"

"Y-yes! She, uh… Wants bread! From the town! You know how princesses are, so spoiled and-" Another kick. "A-anyway, I have to go before she has me executed!"

Ruby walked away hurriedly, Weiss struggling to keep close to her back. Once they were past the archway, the princess made distance between the two of them and swiped at her clothing, as if she it had been dirtied.

"Who was that?" She asked confusedly.

"That was Jaune," Ruby informed, still nervous about their adventure. "He was a novice under General Ozpin, just like me. Well, I think he still _is_ a novice…"

"Oh, great. We have novices on the walls," Weiss said sarcastically. "I bet no problems will arise out of that."

As they descended towards the town, Ruby notice the princess was becoming more and more excited by the second. It was odd to see Weiss in such a happy mood – or any other mood not angry or somber, for that matter –, and finally Ruby understood how much she truly wanted to make this trip.

When they reached the streets, Ruby almost lost Weiss as she wandered off towards the shops and stands. She had to drag her away forcedly, which obviously resulted in a lot of process, but Weiss was smart enough not to drive her bodyguard away in an unknown location.

"This is… marvelous," Weiss muttered. "It looks so different outside of a carriage! It seems more… _real_ …"

"Yes, but that's the more… rich part of town." Ruby noted.

"What?" The princess whipped her head around in astonishment. "Explain yourself."

"You do know not every part of the town is well off, right?"

Weiss frowned. She supposed it made sense – it was impossible for everyone to be rich. But the way Ruby spoke suggested some people led very, very hard lives in _her_ town. She felt foolish about not having realized that truth before, but she found comfort in the fact that she was remedying that naivety now.

"So, where should we go?" Weiss asked.

"You don't know?" Ruby looked at her in evident panic.

"Obviously not, you dolt!" The silver-haired girl shook her head in disbelief. "I don't live down here. You need to guide me."

Ruby relaxed after a few moments. This helped things immensely, since she wouldn't have to convince Weiss to change their path to meet with Yang and Blake. Now they could go directly to the town square, where the two were waiting.

Of course, the princess hadn't been informed of that detail of their trip, but she hadn't _asked_ anything either, so she couldn't be mad. At least that was the logic Ruby used to reassure herself.

When they finally reached the square, Ruby spotted Yang and Blake standing near its center, where a small fountain was installed. Blake seemed very jumpy, which had Yang calming her down. Ruby made sure Weiss was following her, then hurried towards her friends.

"Oh, great! You're here!" Yang exclaimed. "Can you tell Blake to stop worrying for a minute? At this rate, she'll bring doom upon herself."

"Stop joking about it!" Blake rubbed her arms and looked around nervously. "There are so many people…"

"Don't worry, Blake. Nobody is going to hurt you." Ruby tapped a finger on her sword's hilt and winked. Blake kept throwing glances around, but she seemed to calm down somewhat.

Weiss tore her attention away from the people around her to look at the two unfamiliar faces. A pair of blue eyes met with violet, and both straightened at each other.

"So _that's_ her," Yang said. "See, Blake? I told you she'd look scrawny."

"Excuse me?!" Weiss almost shouted. "Who are you to speak that way about the prin-"

Ruby covered her mouth with a hand, muffling the shout before Weiss attracted the attention of everyone around them. The princess glared at her furiously, then took a step back and made an effort of showing she would keep her voice down.

"Princess, this is my sister, Yang, and that is our friend, Blake," Ruby introduced, excitement dripping into her voice. "Yang, Blake, this is the princess heir, Weiss Schnee."

Blake crossed her hands behind her back and avoided Weiss's eyes, while Yang made such an elaborate bow it was obvious she was mocking the princess. It took all of Weiss's self-control not to start shouting again.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise," Weiss noted, her eyes piercing Ruby like daggers. "You did not inform me we'd have… _company_."

"By the Moon," Yang voiced, as if out of breath. "She is the perfect example of a snobby princess."

"Y-you!" Weiss found herself stuttering, much to her dismay.

"This is priceless!"

Weiss took a deep breath.

" _Ruby_ ," she said in a voice so sweet, it sent chills down the redhead's spine. "Where should we go now?"

"Well," Ruby gulped. "How would you like that bread I mentioned to Jaune?"

"Bread. Hmm, that might be interesting."

With that loudmouth _Yang_ around, Weiss would never admit she had never eaten such common food before, at least not without other things to accompany it.

"We could go to my bakery." Yang suggested.

"You run a bakery?" Weiss asked, admiration creeping in her voice.

"Of course not. I'm eighteen years old, that would be incredibly stupid," the blonde elbowed Blake lightly. "Aren't princesses supposed to be smart?"

The faunus looked away innocently, but her mouth curved into a smirk.

Ruby began to drag Weiss towards the bakery before she could announce her sister's execution.

* * *

 **You know, a running theme in this story seems to be that the chapters always end up being longer than I expect them to be. This chapter was going to show the results of Weiss's trip, but I felt like it _needed_ to be split up. It's cool, though. More content is rarely a bad thing.  
**

 **I think this chapter should answer your shipping questions, yes? Or at least it gave you guys a faint idea of how things are going to work out. But you shouldn't expect things to be very simple...**

 **So, I decided to substitude _Victorian_ with _Renaissance_. My gratitude to Genie66 for suggesting the idea! Do note that this is just a general description of the setting, not everything is exactly equal to the real world stuff (especially because the Renaissance era lasted several centuries). Weapons, in particular, are much more advanced. It's more of an aesthetic thing than anything else, really.**

 **One last thing! If anyone out there is willing to draw a cover for this story, I'd love for you to contact me. But only if you want to! I'm not holding a gun to your head or anything. I'd definitely not stop uploading if no one stepped up. Nope. Not a chance. (pls give cover pls)**

 **-Zeroan**


	5. Peril

"And I am supposed to eat this… how, exactly?"

Weiss immediately regretted her question when Yang burst into laughter, drawing the attention of everyone else who was seated inside the bakery. The princess blushed and looked down at her plate of bread furiously.

"It's all right, princess," Ruby laughed nervously, sensing her liege's distress. "We eat bread with… our hands."

"Our hands?" Weiss repeated, suspecting that she was being played for a fool by Ruby, of all people. "But… What about silverware? Do you… Do commoners not have the money to buy such utensils?"

"No! We use silverware! Just not for bread." The redhead sighed, then took a bite of her own bread, if only to avoid further questions.

Weiss hesitantly picked up the bread in her hands, then slowly inched it towards her mouth. She could feel Xiao Long's stare practically burning a hole through her, which only added to her embarrassment.

Their other companion – Blake, was it? – on the other hand, hadn't casted more than a few discreet looks at her. Something about the girl seemed off, from the way her eyes would constantly dart in every possible direction, to how she would reach for the bow on her head, as if she feared it might fall off at a moment's notice.

"So," the princess cleared her throat, then put her bread back on its plate, untouched. She looked at Blake curiously. "How do you know Ruby?"

"I…" The brunette looked at her for a split second, then down at her feet. "I'm her friend."

"Yes. I already gathered that," Weiss's eyes narrowed testily. "That is not what I asked."

Blake refused to reply, much less look at her. Weiss was about to repeated herself louder, not being accustomed to people ignoring her so blatantly, but Ruby quickly set her food down and raised a finger.

"Oh, we've known each other all our lives. I don't really remember how we met," she said, then smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Blake's a little shy towards new people… any people, really."

"Yeah. She lives with us, too," Yang added, drawing the princess's attention back to her. "We live in a little old house, by the way, not a palace like yours."

"I don't live in a palace!" Weiss exclaimed. "…It's a castle."

"Same thing," the blonde shrugged and leaned back on her chair. "I bet you have lots of slaves to do your every bidding."

"I… That's not…" the princess crossed her arms and looked at Ruby. "I wish you wouldn't have brought me such horrible company."

" _Hello_? Ruby didn't bring you any company!" Yang got up from her seat, her eyes seeming to become a redder shade of violet. "Blake and I are here because we _want_ to! I am beginning to question _why_ , though, since you're such a bratty, ungrateful-"

Ruby interrupted her sister with a humorless laugh, then dragged the princess out of the bakery by her wrist. Once they were out in the open, the redhead turned out and bowed her head repeatedly.

"I'm so, so sorry, milady!" She exclaimed. "I didn't think Yang would be so rude! She's usually very kind!"

"Kind? She called me a brat!" Weiss frowned. " _She_ is the brat. I did her no wrong, and yet she kept insulting me!"

"Well, she was joking… You took it way more seriously than you should have…"

Weiss glared at her so intensely, Ruby felt the urge to run away and find a spot to hide in. But she drew from her rigorous training and pushed her fears away from her mind, and started to think of a way to remedy their mission.

The best way this could end was by their going back to the castle and forgetting about how the morning had gone, but Ruby knew Weiss would never agree to that idea. She was just too determined to learn about the town and its people.

Out in the open, Weiss was too recognizable, even with her cowl hiding her silver hair. Just by looking at her posture, it was easy to assume she wasn't a commoner. If she wanted to learn about the townspeople's lives, it would have to be somewhere safe and private…

"Princess!" Ruby exclaimed suddenly, her face lighting up in triumph. "Do you want to visit my house?"

"Your house…?" Weiss tilted her head slightly. "Would your _sister_ go with us?"

"I think she doesn't want to accompany us anymore," Ruby smiled nervously. "She and Blake will be fine here. So…"

"Alright, then," the princess lifted her chin proudly. "Take me to your house."

* * *

A smile marked Winter's face as she woke up. These first few minutes of the day were the only time she felt truly relaxed, but it never lasted for long. Once her drowsiness was but a hazy memory, she effortlessly donned her usual expression of seriousness and strength – even if she was with no company to judge her behavior.

The queen got up and gave her bed a quick glance. The portion of it beside where she had been sleeping was an obvious mess, but empty. Her… _friend_ , had chosen to leave sooner than usual, it seemed. She didn't care much about it, but it did frustrate her that she would have to tidy up the bed alone. It wouldn't do to have the slaves spreading rumors about the queen sleeping with an unknown lover.

Once she was done with the task, Winter snapped her fingers, and almost immediately three faunus rushed into the room from a side door. Guided by a simple gesture towards the wardrobe, the slaves retrieved one of her favorite dresses – an elegant, yet comfortable, whitish blue piece – and swarmed her from every side, knowing their queen didn't like to waste time with her dressing.

When one of the faunus parted from the circle and went to pick up a comb from her vanity stand, Winter shook her head firmly.

"None of that," she said. "The people can survive their queen having less than perfect hair, at least for one day."

The faunus nodded fervently and worked on her dress even more hastily, seeking to correct her mistake _immediately_. Winter had never personally punished her, but she had a cold demeanor that scared most of the slaves in the castle. Those who didn't fear her… Well, there were _tales_ …

"This is enough," Winter looked down at her feet to inspect the fragile heels she'd have to deal with all day. Beautiful as they were, she suspected one day they'd break and cause her a twisted ankle. "You may leave."

The slaves filed out without a word. Winter looked at her mirror briefly to fix her hair so that it was at least acceptable, then exited her quarters. The guards stationed outside her door sprung to attention, but she barely casted then a glance.

"Your presence will not be needed today," she informed. "I won't be leaving the inner castle."

"My queen," one of the younger soldiers started to object. "The General-"

"The _general_ knows better than to argue with me," Winter interrupted harshly. "You may take your grievances to him, if that's what's needed to appease you."

The soldier bowed his head shamefully. Winter walked away with purpose, going over the day's schedule in her head.

The Council would be expecting her in a half hour. With the season's cold weather only worsening, growing crops and keeping the livestock healthy was a huge problem – one that needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. This happened every year, but never so early, which had the queen worried they would be facing the harshest winter of her life yet.

After that, General Ozpin and she would have another meeting to discuss the White Fang. Winter was growing tired of the matter, as the rebels hadn't showed a single sign of being alive since their failed assassination attempt of the princess heir. However, she couldn't ignore the threat they posed. Their being hidden was perhaps even more dangerous than if they were opposing her in the open.

The Queen paused briefly, an idea forming in her head. Two weeks had passed since Weiss's life had been targeted. After their… dispute the following day, neither of the sisters had engaged each other in conversation. Winter could barely recall seeing the princess outside of her room, and that worried her a great deal.

She would never back up from the stance she'd taken long, long ago – Vale would always be her first priority, even more so than her sister. But perhaps she had been insensitive with Weiss. Winter remembered how lost she had felt when she was that age.

With a nod, she decided to make a brief detour before meeting with the council. Weiss's room was not too distant from her ultimate goal, after all… And the council knew better than to complain about a couple minutes of lateness.

Curiously, there were no guards stationed nearby the door. Winter frowned worriedly, but quickly let the matter go, assuming her sister had her personal bodyguard with her inside the room… What was her name again? Ruby… She couldn't quite recall if the girl had a surname – probably not, seeing as she was a commoner.

There was no answer when she knocked on the door. Winter held back a sigh. Weiss didn't easily forgive, or let others have room to forgive _her_ , so she was probably ignoring her on purpose. The queen shook her head and entered.

The room was empty.

"Weiss?" She called. "Sister, are you here?"

Silence.

Winter's first instinct was to shout for the Guard, but she held back on that, at least until she could fully examine the room. She was rewarded by that control soon after, as a note was laying on the bed, with her little sister's fine calligraphy.

 _In case you're panicking, Winter, no, I wasn't kidnapped. I will be gone for the day, as I still need to get my portrait done._

 _You're not forgiven._

Winter grunted and tore the note in half. If Weiss was going to act like a brat, then so be it – she could spend the rest of her life being bitter, if that's what she wanted.

She set off the room in a firm march, but quickly corrected herself before someone caught sight of her in such an unsavory state. In a matter of minutes, she arrived at the strategy room, and earlier than the entire Council – which shouldn't have surprised her, sadly.

She took her seat in front of the round table and waited in silence. Her lonesomeness forced her to think more about her sister, and as much as she tried to make herself give up the matter, she couldn't help but feel angry at herself. Weiss was sad because of _her_ , and she might put herself in danger because of it.

Sometimes, she thought being an older sister was harder than being a queen.

"Winter," a voice sounded nearby, infused with a joyous edge. "How nice it is to see you this early in the morning…"

Two hands touched her shoulders, and then Summer leaned from behind her and gave her a mischievous smile. Winter did not bother with turning her head, only shooting a warning glance at the new arrival. Summer took a step back and raised her arms amicably.

" _Right_. I beg your forgiveness, my queen," The redhead took her seat and crossed one leg above the other. Winter could tell she hadn't taken her warning to its full extend. "So, is the princess heir going to join us today? I feel for the girl. This is boring enough for _me_ , imagine for someone her age…"

"Whether this is boring or exciting has no consequence, Lady Rose. This is needed. Or would you prefer to starve to death?" Winter asked.

"Hmm. Now _that_ is an interesting tone of voice. And you tactfully avoided my question," Summer smiled knowingly. "I can only guess Weiss is still angry with you."

"The _princess heir_ …" Winter paused meaningfully. "…is fine. She won't be joining us today, as she has… an important affair to take care of. She left a note to inform me of that."

A few seconds of silence passed. Summer shifted from serene to puzzled, and then she stood up with a glint of realization in her eyes.

"What is it?" Winter asked harshly. "Don't make a scene. The others will be arriving soon."

"Tell me, my queen, when was the last time your sister bothered to leave you a note explaining her absence?" Summer shook her head. "Never. And she shouldn't be doing so now, when she feels so betrayed. It's obvious to me this _note_ is just a cover, and she's left to do something dangerous."

"Dangerous," the queen frowned. "As in…?"

"As in, leaving the castle grounds without proper protection." Summer completed.

Winter froze, her normally calm expression now a mask of fear and regret. Before she could say anything, though, Summer marched past her and made for the door.

"Where are you going?!" Winter exclaimed, her voice striking like a whip. "We need to wait for Ozpin and plan-"

"Do what you feel is best, Winter," the redhead turned around briefly, her eyes filled with determination. "I'll start my own search. The sun will stop burning before I let your little sister get hurt."

* * *

With Ruby and the princess gone, Blake couldn't help but feel even more vulnerable inside the bakery. Even with Yang at her side, she feared what would happen if one the costumers recognized her as a faunus.

After her fury at the princess faded, Yang noticed Blake's discomfort and suggested that they go outside and wander around a little more. Maybe it wasn't _safer_ , per se, but the fresh air was definitely more soothing than inside the bakery.

"Yang," Blake said quietly as they walked through the streets. "Can I ask you something?"

"You don't need to ask for permission, Blake," Yang smiled kindly. "…And that's a yes."

"Why do you hate the princess so much?"

The blonde seemed to ponder the question heavily, then just raised her hands helplessly.

"I don't know. It just annoys me that she has it so good in life," she said. "And I guess I also inherited that a bit from my parents – Ruby's mom included. They were rebels."

"Rebels?" Blake's eyebrows rose in amazement.

"Alright, not _rebels_ …" Yang chuckled. "They just cared a lot more for the common folk than for the nobility. My uncle was particularly… defiant of the monarchy, though."

"Your uncle?"

"Dead. I never met him."

Blake's eyes wavered. For all her cheerfulness, Yang seemed to have had quite a lot of tragedies in her life already. Dead parents, uncle, even an adoptive mother… Maybe she had the right to be harsh towards the princess, after all.

Blake wondered if she had that right to. In the back of her mind, she felt almost obligated to treat Weiss like Yang did. However, she had spent her entire life under the cruelty of noble overlords, and Weiss did not seem like them at all. She had been inquisitive, proud, even arrogant, but not… Not like _them_ …

Or maybe that was just because she hadn't seen who Blake really was.

"Hey, would you mind if we visited a friend?" Yang asked suddenly. "I mean, I know it's hard for you and all that, but I think it would do you good. He's a faunus, if that's any comfort."

"Well…" Blake took a deep breath. "I suppose you're right. I can't live around only you and Ruby for all my life."

"That's the spirit!"

They wandered through the streets for a few more minutes, delving towards the outer rings of the city, where the alleyways were dark and the houses looked ready to fall apart at the slightest touch.

Eventually, Yang stopped in front of a pale yellow brick house, then picked up a stone and threw it in an arc, so it would hit the roof.

"Sun!" She yelled. "It's Yang! Can I come in?"

They waited several seconds, but there was no response. Blake expected Yang to turn around and walk away, but instead she grunted and entered anyway, almost tearing the door out of its hinges. The faunus winced and followed her, hoping to make a good first impression.

"Hey, you dirty piece of fur!" Yang exclaimed. "Answer when someone knocks at the door!"

Blake shook her head, then examined the house curiously. It was much like Ruby and Yang's, with only one room, though in comparison, it seemed much more miserable. All the furniture Sun seemed to have was an old, damaged bed, some stained blankets, and… A metal staff?

"So…" Blake said. "Is Sun an escaped slave?"

"No," Yang shook her head. "He's always been on the run, even as a little kid. His parents were executed… Or so he tells me. I'm fairly sure he only says that to try and get me to pity him."

"Pity him?" The brunette repeated. "Why would he want that? _I_ don't want anyone to pity me."

"Well, that's because you're a classy lady, Blake," Yang chuckled. "Unfortunately, some boys have the horrible habit of-"

Suddenly, there was a loud noise outside, as if something – or someone – had fallen from the roof. After a while, a blond boy walked inside. He wore nothing but a pair of brown pants and a loose white coat. A furry tail of the same color of his hair swung lazily behind him.

"Urgh…" He groaned, massaging his back. He looked up at Yang, then Blake, and sighed. " _Yang_. Do you want me to be enslaved?"

"Hey, don't worry about Blake," Yang smiled. "She's a faunus too."

"Hmm…" Sun looked at the brunette. "Yeah, I shoulda noticed it sooner. Cat?"

Blake nodded mutely, disturbed by how easily he had solved her disguise.

Sun groaned again, then plopped down on his bed. Yang rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"What are you moaning about, Sun?" She asked. "Did the guard beat you up a little?"

"No!" He exclaimed. "Of course not. They never catch me."

" _Of course_ ," Yang agreed sarcastically. "Did you hurt yourself falling off the roof, then?"

"No, I was already hurt before. That's why I fell, I guess," Sun gritted his teeth angrily. "I was just walking around, when those two idiots come running and shove me out of the way and into a wall. It hurt like hell."

He frowned, seeming to notice that the explanation made him seem a lot less manly than if he had just said the guard had beat him up.

"Two idiots?" Yang asked curiously.

"Yeah. A man and a woman, about our age," Sun shrugged. " _She_ had some pretty scary knives on her belt. Anyway, why are you here?"

"No motive. I just thought Blake would like to meet you."

Sun looked at the faunus girl, his expression quickly changing to one of pity. Blake closed her hands helplessly, wishing that he would look at her with any other emotion.

"Hey," he said loudly. "If you ever need anything, just look for me, alright? We're all brothers and sisters here in Vale… Unless you like to enchain your brothers and sisters, of course."

"A-alright," Blake stammered. "Thank you. I'll… keep that in mind," she looked towards Yang. "Uhm… Do you think we could go home now?"

"Oh. Sure," Yang smiled, as if nothing weird had occurred. "It was nice seeing you, Sun."

The monkey faunus waved weakly to them as they exited the house. Once they were outside, Yang looked back at Blake and touched her on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry if you felt uncomfortable," she said. "I thought Sun and you could be friends."

"I'm… I'm sure we can be friends," Blake forced herself to smile. "It'll take some time, that's all."

"Good," Yang nodded. "But if you want me to beat him up, just say the word and I'll do it."

Blake looked at her, wondering if that was how Yang always showed friendship and loyalty. But whether it was a joke or not, Blake was honored anyway.

* * *

As the sun rose to its highest point in the sky, marking the middle of the day, Ruby was still scared to death that something bad might happen at any moment. She felt a mixture of relief and anxiety when Weiss calmed down and began to stray a little from their path, wanting to examine the houses and the merchant tents set in the open. Ruby wanted to grab her by the arm and hurry her along, but she knew for certain the princess wouldn't appreciate that.

She tried to tell herself she was worrying too much. Yes, Weiss was in public, but nobody had recognized her yet. And if anyone tried to harm her, Ruby would be right there to protect her. Still, she kept feeling a strange prickle on the back of her neck, as if she was being watched from afar…

"I must admit, the jewelry at display here is…" Weiss said quietly as they began walking again. "Only mildly disappointing. Where do you suppose those gemstones come from?"

"Hmm," Ruby shrugged, her eyes wandering over the rooftops in search of any possible dangers. "Probably a mine."

"Of course it comes from a mine! Gemstones don't grow on bushes!" the princess sighed. "You're such a dolt, Ruby. How far away are we from your house? My feet are sore."

"I'm afraid we've got to walk some ten minutes more, my princess," Ruby turned her head to look at her. "Do you want me to carry you?"

Weiss's eyes narrowed. Was that a joke? Ruby sounded so honest, Weiss honestly couldn't tell. After a while, the princess decided to safeguard her honor by just ignoring the question and continuing to walk.

A few minutes later, their surroundings were much quieter, so much that it disturbed the princess quite a bit. They had left the commercial plaza behind, and now navigated narrows streets littered with dark alleyways and plain rooftops that might hide ambushes from above.

Suddenly, Ruby stopped walking and gripped Weiss's wrist so she would do the same. The princess shot her a glare, but soon understood her motive – there were footsteps behind them, and the faint rustling of steel.

"Princess!" A familiar voice reached them. "Thank the Moon I found you! What are you _doing_ here?"

Ruby spun around and saw Ozpin standing there, blocking the sunlight behind him. He had a smile on his face, but something felt off… He didn't cast even a glance at Ruby. His eyes were focused intently on Weiss.

"Mister Ozpin?" The redhead said dubiously. "How did you find us?"

"Luck," Ozpin chuckled. "Say, how about you let me take the princess back to the castle?"

"Sir, I don't think-"

"You were the one who lead her into danger," the general interrupted. His eyes wandered to Ruby, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. "Trust me, you will be punished later. It's in your best interest to go, for now."

Ruby bowed her head in shame and made to turn and walk away, but Weiss touched her shoulder and raised her chin high as she stared at Ozpin.

"General Ozpin, Ruby only accompanied me because I ordered her to do so," she said. "I understand she is your pupil, but I won't allow you to punish her for something out of her control."

Ruby's eyes widened. Weiss was standing up for her! What next, would Ozpin sprout wings and fly away?

Unfortunately, that was far from what happened. Ozpin's smile faded, and Ruby was sent sprawling forward as something bony struck her in her lower back.

Weiss yelled and reached for her rapier, but suddenly she was being held from behind by someone she had never seen before – a tall, young man with gray hair, wearing leather armor and boots that seemed to be reinvested with steel.

"Unhand me!" She ordered. "Ozpin, what is the meaning of this?!"

The princess looked towards where the general had been standing, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Ruby sprung to her feet and drew her pistol. Weiss's heart stilled for an instant when she realized she was being aimed at – but the bullet passed to the right of her head and dug into the shoulder of her assailant, who reeled back and clutched his wound, freeing her in the process.

"Princess!" Ruby exclaimed. "We need to run!"

The redhead dove in her direction and took her in her arms, then sprinted at full speed, leaving the unknown man behind them.

"Where are we going?!" Weiss yelled. "Shouldn't you take me back to the castle?!"

"Too far!" Ruby answered distractedly. "Home's closer!"

"Where's Ozpin?!"

"I don't think-"

Ruby skidded to a halt when a new figure appeared before them, blocking the way to her house. At first sight, she looked to be nothing but a little, innocent girl in a pink dress… but her sinister eyes, each a different color – left one pink, right one brown – and wicked smile told a different story.

"Who are you?" Ruby asked, then shook her head. She couldn't waste time like that. "Can we please pass?"

The mysterious girl's smile widened and she tilted her head to the side. Her right arm rose, revealing a carving knife on her hand.

"That's a no," Ruby gulped. She set the princess down and stared at her seriously. "Princess, I'm going to fight her. While she's occupied, you run past her. The house's not too far ahead. You should recognize it, it's… what you would expect from me. Understood?"

"Understood," Weiss said hesitantly. "I… Don't get hurt, Ruby."

Ruby smiled and dashed forward, bringing her sword in a diagonal swing towards her opponent. The devilish girl moved her body gracefully without even leaving her spot, narrowly dodging Ruby's blade… Then made a swing of her own, which was blocked with much difficulty.

Weiss took the opportunity to run past the two. Luckily, Ruby's plan seemed to work, as the stranger seemed to be too concentrated on the fight to follow her.

"Dear Moon…" she whispered as she continued to run. "Keep us safe."

* * *

"Little pig… Little pig…"

Yang's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she neared her house and heard a voice carry through the air. Whoever was singing – or, more appropriately, _trying_ to sing – was definitely male, and of some age. What he was singing about, though… That was a mystery.

"Yang?" Blake whispered fearfully, coming to a stop behind her friend. "Do you know…?"

"No," the blonde whispered back. "And I don't like it one bit."

She gestured for the faunus to stay where she was – a narrow alleyway between two buildings – then strode again towards her house.

"Little pig, let me… _Iiiiiin_ …"

Right before her door was a man nearing his later ages. He was tall, and he leaned on a cane playfully, as though he didn't really need it. His hair was a curious shade of orange.

"Hey!" She exclaimed. "There are no pigs in my house. So how about you leave and look for a butcher or something?"

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" The man spun around to face her. His tone of voice was playful, but Yang knew when a threat was presented to her.

"I don't know _you_ ," Yang answered. "So stay away from my house."

He rolled his eyes and lifted a hand from his cane. Slowly, he reached for his hip and retrieved a pistol.

"The name, sweetheart, is Roman Torchwick. I'm the face of crime around here, don't you know?" He asked, his voice dropping all signs of friendliness. "Not that it matters to you… Nothing matters to the dead."

He pulled the trigger, releasing a round that traveled the air in a heartbeat. It struck Yang in the chest, but she only stumbled back and grunted in pain. The bullet hit the ground with a loud, ringing noise.

"Well…" Roman cleared his throat. "It was nice meeting you. _Emerald_! I'm tired of playing! Take the princess, she's been scared enough!"

A girl dropped from the roof, and before Yang could do anything about it, she entered the house, slamming the door behind her.

The blonde's eyes turned to red and she marched towards Roman, clenching her fists. The criminal raised his pistol again and fired every round he had loaded, but it only slowed her down.

A shriek sounded from within the house. Yang's mouth formed into a snarl and she swung her arm at Roman, knocking him to the side like a toy doll. With a wordless exclamation of rage, she burst inside the house.

She was just fast enough to experience of the most bizarre moments of her life.

Roman's companion, Emerald, had two daggers on her hands, and she was viciously trying to pierce _the princess heir_ with them. Weiss had a rapier in her right hand, but when she tried to use it to deflect her assailant, it escaped from her grasp and flew across the room, out of her reach.

Yang's eyes widened and she made to dash and tackle Emerald, but before she could, something in Weiss seemed to change… Her eyes narrowed defiantly, even if she was in the most vulnerable of positions. Her posture straightened, and instead of retreating, she edged towards Emerald.

Weiss's left hand flew upward and connected with Emerald's forehead. The criminal's expression went from confusion to terror as ice started to form around the touch, spreading faster and faster, until she was totally encased in it, like a frozen statue.

She didn't stay like that for long, though, as Weiss soon struck her with a punch. The ice shattered, and Emerald fell to the floor, unconscious, but still breathing. A moment of silence passed as the princess stared at her handwork proudly… Until she noticed Yang standing in the doorway.

"What. The. Hell," the blonde said slowly. "How did you do that?!"

"It doesn't matter," Weiss replied firmly. "Not to you."

"Oh, I see," Yang rolled her eyes. "This is too _complicated_ for someone like me."

"No. That's not what I meant," the princess sighed. "Just… Keep this a secret, please? Don't tell _anyone_. Not even your sister."

Yang stared at the princess intensely. For once, she felt a bit of sympathy for her… Weiss sounded truly desperate.

"Alright," Yang said. "But you're going to explain it to me sooner or later. Deal?"

"What? I won't make any-"

" _Deal_?"

"…Alright. Have it your way."

Yang would have smiled, but there was something very important standing in the way of that.

"Where's Ruby?"

* * *

Summer scanned the streets of Vale from a low rooftop. The townspeople were talking in hushed tones, as words of a fight and blood shedding gained momentum and embellishment.

Well, that was her cue.

She followed the path the rumors pointed towards – to the east sector of Vale. If she was lucky, she would catch the commotion while it was still going on. If not… She would be there for the princess, at least.

It didn't take long to locate her. Silver hair wasn't hard to miss, even if it was trying to be hidden. Weiss was walking on the streets hurriedly, accompanied by two people Summer couldn't identify.

The redhead noble cleared her throat and made an effort to appear more regal before dropping down to the ground, right in the princess's way.

"Weiss!" Summer exclaimed happily, embracing the silver-haired girl. "Thank the Moon you're alive!"

"L-lady Summer?" Weiss stuttered. "Uhm… Thank you. What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, of course!" The older woman rolled her eyes and took a step back. "Your sister is probably throwing a fit right now. What were you thinking? She'll have you confined to your room for life!"

Weiss couldn't do anything but shake her head helplessly.

Summer's eyes wandered over to the princess's companions. One of them was a skinny, pale girl with a silk bow atop her black hair. Clearly a faunus, though Summer doubted the princess knew that.

The other one… Blond hair, violet eyes which were focused on her a tad too much for her comfort.

"Is there something wrong?" Summer asked warily.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Those are my bodyguard's… friends," Weiss explained. "Yang Xiao Long and Blake… You don't have a surname, do you, Blake?"

The faunus didn't answer the princess. Instead, she seemed to have arrived at the same realization as Yang…

The same as Summer, now.

"What is _happening_?" Weiss demanded, annoyed by everyone's sudden inability to talk. "Stop staring at each other and – Oh, Ruby! Are you alright?!"

Summer spun around and saw another girl standing there.

A cloak around her shoulders.

Red hair.

Blood dripping down her forehead.

Silver eyes.

"…Mom?"

* * *

 **Yeah, that's happening. There was only so much time I could drag Ruby and Summer meeting before it became absurd.  
**

 **I am very, very sorry about the long delay between chapters! I've been dealing with school pretty much all of last month, so I couldn't put too much time in writing... And since _Falling Roses_ was ending, I put my focus on that instead of this.**

 **But! We should be on full steam ahead! No breaks! Choo choo!**

 **(And, yes, I will explain how Summer and Ruby not meeting before is possible. Don't fret _too much_.)**

 **-Zeroan**


	6. Remembrance

_"Go on, girls… Don't look back! Just… keep moving…"_

 _Summer's voice was one of the two reasons Ruby hadn't died that day, eleven years ago. With every step she took, her little legs almost disappeared into the snow of the field. She hadn't known at the time, but they had been leagues away from Vale, and in the height of winter, there was little hope for them to make their way to the city._

 _"Yang! Don't let go of your little sister!"_

 _That was the other reason she'd remained alive. With Yang at her side, Ruby was filled with warmth. Even Summer was guarded from the blizzard by the little blond girl, even if she was lagging farther behind._

 _Time had stretched itself seemingly endlessly. In her young mind, Ruby was only vaguely registering what was happening around her – all she knew was that they had to keep walking, her father had left, and that they were in very serious danger._

 _One memory had stuck in her mind ever since that day, though. She could remember everything about the moment, and she often had nightmares about it._

 _After hours of fighting through the snow, a hoarse yell had sounded behind them, piercing the deafening blizzard. Her father… Why was he screaming? Was he in pain? Was he dying?_

 _Before she could break down and cry, Summer had caught up to her and flipped her around. Her mother had leaned before her, one hand on her shoulder, the other reaching for the scythe behind her back._

 _"Shh… Don't cry. There's no reason to be sad."_

 _Summer planted a kiss on her forehead, and then her silver eyes met with her daughter's._

 _"Mommy's never going to leave you, sweetheart. I'll always be there for you… Whenever you feel scared, or lonely… Just know that I'll be with you. Just don't forget that, alright?"_

 _Ruby's lips pressed together and she clenched her fists, as if she were trying her hardest to not cry. A little smile appeared on Summer's face._

 _"…See? No more tears. That wasn't so hard, was it now?"_

 _Summer had then righted herself and taken a step back. Ruby's hand reached for her, but Yang held her from behind. Her older sister knew what was happening, but tears still shone in her eyes._

 _Summer looked at Yang, her smile somehow becoming even more honest. At that moment, Yang stiffened… It was like an unspoken promise that been negotiated between the two of them._

 _"Now, go, Ruby. Make me proud."_

 _And then her mother turned and walked away, her red cloak fading from sight in the middle of the blizzard._

 _But, somehow, Ruby had been able to hear her last words._

 _"I love you."_

* * *

As Ruby and Yang sat on their mother's bed, waiting, an array of emotions displayed on their faces. Uncharacteristically for both of them, not a word escaped their mouths. They simply didn't know what to expect for the rest of their day.

Learning Summer was alive so suddenly had hit hard enough, but learning that she was now a noblewoman with direct obligations to the queen was almost harder to believe. But they had held their questions back, as they were too busy being happy during their return to the castle.

Now that they were in peace, though, Yang was taking a much more level-headed approach to the situation. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn't figure out a way Summer could have made it out alive that day. She was so confused, it was hard to be excited about spending time with her again.

"Do you think…" Ruby spoke quietly, her eyes staring into a corner of the room distantly. "Do you think she's… you know, the same?"

"Yeah. Of course, she's Summer. She's your mom," Yang smiled, though she knew that, realistically, a lot of things could change in the span of ten years. "Don't worry about it, Ruby. It will be weird, but only for a while."

"What if…" the redhead gulped. "What if she doesn't like me?!"

" _Obviously_ she's not going to like you," Yang crossed her arms knowingly. "She's going to _love_ you!"

Ruby smiled a little at that, but she still looked more worried than not. Yang sighed, realizing that being her usual cheerful self wasn't going to cut it this time. No, she would have to bring out her ultimate weapon.

Without saying anything, Yang edged closer to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. Ruby leaned her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling comforted by Yang's unnatural warmth.

They stayed like that for a long while before the door to the room opened and Summer stepped inside. The noblewoman discarded her cloak casually, then turned to look at them with a smile on her face.

"You two haven't changed a bit," she said. "Well, you're bigger. But you're still so close to each other…" Summer looked away. "Damn. I don't even know how to begin… I'm just so happy to see you alive and well…"

"Us too!" Yang exclaimed, then her eyebrows rose questioningly. "Though I really can't figure out how you survived. I mean, you _told_ me the person who was chasing you was very, very dangerous."

"Well, he was," Summer's smile faltered. "He killed your father. By the time he got to me, though, you two were far away, and so I had nothing to hold me back from taking my vengeance."

"So…" Yang paused. "You… managed to kill him?"

"Yes."

Summer turned her back to them and approach a wall. She took the scythe from her back and fixed it on the wall, all the while not adding a word to her explanation. Yang wanted to dig deeper, but she could tell it was a difficult topic to talk about.

"I assume you two survived because of Yang's gift." Summer spoke suddenly, turning to face them again.

"Yes," Yang frowned. "Though I would hardly call it a gift."

"Well, it saved both of your lives," Summer tilted her head slightly. "I think that makes it a gift, don't you agree?"

Yang lifted her shoulders slightly, then left the bed to stand on her feet. She looked from Summer to Ruby with a big, kind smile on her face.

"It was really nice… meeting you, Summer," she said. "But I've got an errand to run, I'm afraid."

"An errand?" Summer repeated dubiously. "That is the weakest excuse I've ever heard in my life. Can't you stay a while longer?"

"It's not that I don't want to stay," Yang nodded towards Ruby. "But I've gotten enough attention already."

Before Summer could protest further, Yang exited the room swiftly, closing the door behind her.

For a long time, Summer just stood there, staring at the door, as if she didn't know how to proceed. Ruby lowered her head, unconsciously trying to make herself as small as it was possible.

And then Summer blinked and turned to look at her daughter, her lips curving into a smile, even as tears emerged in her eyes.

"Sweet Moon," she whispered. "You've grown so much…"

In an instant, Ruby suddenly found herself being embraced. Summer's fingers clenched at her cloak and her hair, as if she were afraid her daughter would slip away from her.

Before she could try and get a hold of herself, Ruby returned the embrace and rested her head on her mother's chest, weeping openly. The feeling was familiar, but at the same time, otherworldly – as if she were reliving a memory from too much time ago.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours, though in reality it was only a few minutes. Summer sat on the bed beside Ruby and kissed her on the forehead, eyes still shimmery with tears.

"Sorry," she barely managed to say. "I wasn't planning on losing control like that. I thought… _I'll be strong for Ruby, so she can be strong too!_... My plan didn't work."

"I-I don't mind," Ruby smiled slightly. "It was nice."

"It was, wasn't it?" Summer chuckled. Her eyes examined Ruby once again, from top to bottom, lingering at the sword and pistol on her hip. "You're a warrior. A knightess… I couldn't be happier!"

Ruby's heart threatened to explode with happiness at that moment. It was just like Yang had said, there wasn't anything to worry about!

"And you're a… noblewoman?" Ruby inquired, puzzled. "Uh… how did _that_ happen?"

"It's a long story," Summer looked at her scythe longingly. "My days of rebellion are over. Let's just say I owe a lot to the Schnee line, and that they are worthy of my… _noblewomanliness_."

"Noblewomanliness?" Her daughter repeated unsurely. "What exactly do you do around here, mom?"

Summer paused for a brief moment at the sound of that title. _Mom_. That would take some getting used to.

"I'm a member of the Vale Council. We advise the queen in all matters, from political to economical to military," she explained. "Queen Winter greatly values my input, and… She would never say it out loud, but we are good friends too."

"Can the queen really have friends?" Ruby questioned, though she had Weiss on her mind.

"Of course. We all need friends," Summer smiled knowingly. "Even the princess heir."

Ruby's mouth parted in surprise. She wasn't exactly secretive when it came to her feelings, but Summer had read her like a book. Perhaps it was motherly instinct, or she was just that smart.

"I'm sure Weiss appreciates you. She's just too stubborn to say it out loud," Summer said, then leaned closer to Ruby. "That topic has made me curious… How did you manage to earn a job as honorable as guarding the princess heir?"

* * *

 _"Ruby! Look!"_

 _Her eyes had fluttered open with difficulty, her eyelashes heavy because of the freezing weather around them. She had been in a half-awake state of mind for days now, the only thing keeping her alive being her sister's warmth._

 _"I think… I think that's Vale!" The blonde's voice was barely audible above the roar of the snowstorm. "We're here! Come on, just a little more!"_

 _But even Yang, with her inner fire and unyielding spirit, couldn't hold out in the open for so long. For the first time in her short life, she was beginning to feel slight stings along her skin, sucking her body's heat away and replacing it with coldness. That, and having to practically drag her little sister for days without rest, was draining the last remnants of energy in her._

 _"Damnit… Ruby? Ruby, don't worry," Yang whispered tiredly. "We're going to make it… Don't… Close your…"_

 _And then Yang's knees gave out, and both girls went tumbling down to the ground snow. Ruby fell face first, and the contact of the frigid snow with her skin jolted her to full awareness. She struggled to her feet, but the wind seemed to be growing even fiercer, and she was knocked back down in a matter of seconds._

 _Yang's arms snaked around her from behind, pressing Ruby against her body in an attempt of keeping her protected from the cold. But even Ruby could feel her sister's warmth ending, and the terror that realization brought was worse than any blizzard._

 _"Stay… Put…" Yang muttered. "Wait… Wait a few minutes… Let me build my…"_

 _A howl rang through the air, and then a grotesque silhouette appeared before them, a single dark point in the vast whiteness of the fields. Yang's eyes widened, but she couldn't muster the strength to say, much less do anything._

 _The wolf's form became clearer to them as it raced in their direction, sharp fangs and claws and dead eyes sending shivers down their spines. It howled again, only a few seconds away from reaching them._

 _It lunged at them. Ruby struggled against Yang's hold, and the older sister was too weak to stop her from freeing herself. All that Yang could do was watch helplessly as the Grimm made its downward trajectory upon the little redhead._

 _To her surprise and dismay, Ruby did not brace herself. Instead, she yelled and jumped at the creature, colliding with it in midair. The Grimm hadn't expected that either, and fell on the snow on its back._

 _Ruby's fall was more graceful, but also not smooth at all. She visibly shook as her feet rejoined the ground and almost collapsed right then and there. The wolf stood and swung a claw towards her, which she only ducked under fast enough because of instinct._

 _The redhead yelled again and dealt a punch to the Grimm's snout. It screamed and shook its head, but otherwise appeared unharmed. Its eyes focused on Ruby, revealing a new depth of malice._

 _If it had had the opportunity to attack again, there would have been no defense for Ruby. But luck was at finally at their side that day, as a round shot through the air and hit the Grimm's head, making it fall to the ground, lifeless._

 _Ruby's body faltered and she started to fall backwards, but suddenly she was being held by a man with gray hair and worried eyes._

 _"Ssh. Don't worry, little girl," he said, eyes wandering over to Yang, who was slowly getting up. "What's your name? What are you doing here, all alone in the height of winter?"_

 _"I'm Yang Xiao Long. That's my little sister you're holding," Yang almost growled. "Let her go."_

 _"Xiao Long?" His expression shifted from worried to confused, and then finally he seemed to come to a realization when he looked down at Ruby again. "And this… Is Ruby Rose?"_

 _"Yeah!" Yang yelled. "Give her back!"_

 _He complied, letting Ruby stand on her own and wander over to her sister._

 _"Where are your parents?" He asked._

 _Yang glared at him._

 _"Ah. I see," he looked down sorrowfully, then turned in Vale's direction. "You can't stay here. Let me take you to the city, and I'll arrange shelter for you."_

 _"Mister, we don't even know who you are."_

 _He stopped and looked over his shoulders. His eyes met with Ruby's startled ones. He suspected he would never see a sadder sight in his life._

 _"My name… is Ozpin."_

* * *

Emerald woke up on a cold stone floor. Her back hurt like hell, and her skin stung every time it made contact with anything – as if she were touching ice. Only a dim light coming from beneath a door gave her some knowledge about where she was.

Iron bars, low ceiling, uncomfortable space… Vale castle's dungeon.

She smiled slightly. Aside from the pain and disorientation she felt, everything was moving along perfectly.

Before she could reflect on her situation for much longer, though, the door swung open and two people entered the dungeon, one of them carrying a lantern. The bright flame irritated Emerald's eyes, but she didn't look away.

"Hello, _my queen_ ," she said sweetly. "I'm so honored by your visit. And you too, General Ozpin."

"Speak only to answer our questions," Winter's voice lashed like a whip, but it only made Emerald happier. "What is your name?"

"Emerald Sustrai."

"Why did you try to kill the princess heir?" The queen pressed. "Are you with the White Fang? What are your allegiances?"

Emerald smiled and looked at Ozpin slyly.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said, then shifted her posture to look at the queen again. "Can you tell me what you serve to the prisoners, by any chance? I've been trying to lose weight for a while now. I'd hate to see all that effort go to waste."

Winter's eyes narrowed, and, for a moment, Emerald thought she would scream at her. But to her surprise, the queen just shook her head and turned towards the door.

"I can't do this right now," she muttered. "Get the information out of her, Ozpin. I don't want to keep her around for long."

"What?" Emerald's eyes widened. "But I _so_ wanted to talk to you, your majesty! I thought we could have a nice, relaxing talk about your family-"

" _That's enough!_ "

Winter spun around and reached for her belt. Her hand closed around the pistol she always carried on her, but as she pointed it at Emerald, Ozpin grabbed her wrist. The queen's eyes sparked with rage as she turned her head and glared at him, but Ozpin just stared at her calmly.

"I think it is best we leave this for another time indeed, my queen," he said. "You should rest. Tomorrow will be a more opportune time."

He let go of her wrist and took a step back. Winter waited a few seconds before slowly lowering her hand and withdrawing her pistol. Without another word, she turned and exited the dungeon.

Ozpin took a moment to look at Emerald. She had a little smile on her lips, her eyes trained on him too. The general shook his head and walked away, closing the door and leaving her in utter darkness.

* * *

 _"Stretch your arm more. The recoil of a pistol is greater than you might imagine. You don't want to have it anywhere near your head when you shoot."_

 _The tip of Ruby's tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth as she concentrated on lining up a shot at a wooden dummy. The fact that it stood two heads taller than her posed a difficult, if somewhat hilarious, challenge._

 _"In the same vein, you should take care to keep your arm steady, or the pistol will fly out of your hand. Don't put more force than necessary, though. That will tire you out quickly, and greatly lower your chances of making multiple, accurate shots."_

 _Ruby nodded slightly and adjusted to the advice. She slowly pulled on the trigger…_

 _"Also, your feet-"_

 _The round raced through the air with a deafening noise and struck the wall behind and to the right of the dummy. At the same time, Ruby's entire body shook, and she dropped the weapon on instinct._

 _"Your feet are too close together," Ozpin sighed. "Let's try again."_

 _"No! I don't want to!" Ruby shouted._

 _"You're not going to become a master in a day's length. That takes a lifetime… If you are lucky enough to manage it at all."_

 _"That's stupid! I don't want to use a gun!" She continued, her voice rising even more. "Why can't I use a scythe like my mom did?!"_

 _Ozpin looked at her in sympathy. The little girl was so desperate, she hadn't even noticed how much attention she was drawing from the nobles that passed by the inner garden they were training at._

 _The general smiled and crouched in front of her, then put his hands on her shoulders. Slowly, her breathing lowered to a normal pace. However, she now had tears build up on her eyes._

 _"A scythe is not a real weapon. Not in the traditional sense," he said in a soothing tone of voice. "The reason your mother used one was because she had no other option… She didn't have swords or guns to choose from. Was she still a fearsome warrior? Certainly. Perhaps more than most proper swordsmen."_

 _"So?" Ruby crossed her arms stubbornly. "I still want to use one."_

 _"The truth is," Ozpin chuckled. "I have no clue how she did what she did. I can't teach you how to wield a scythe in battle, Ruby."_

 _She looked at him with wide eyes. Up until then, she had believed he knew everything about anything related to combat._

 _"That doesn't mean you can't try once you're older," Ozpin assured. "But if you want my help, I'm afraid we are limited to_ this _…"_

 _He picked the pistol up and offered it to her. Ruby looked at it for a while, now without any sign of tears, but frowning._

 _"Alright…" She said slowly. "But you're going to teach me swords too?"_

 _"Of course," Ozpin chuckled. "We can start right now."_

 _Ruby exclaimed happily and hugged him, almost knocking him to the ground. Ozpin awkwardly stood up and patted her on the head._

 _"Ozpin?" She muttered. "Did you know my mother? I mean, I know you know_ about _her, but…"_

 _"Yes," he answered. "We knew each other."_

 _"Were you friends?"_

 _"…No," the general paused. "We've been slacking for too long. Let's go find you a sword, shall we?"_

 _"Yes, sir!"_

* * *

Weiss didn't pray often. She believed in her religion, of course – it was expected of the royal line, and every other noble, in fact. But it made her feel foolish to speak to some deity that didn't seem to ever be listening. So she only prayed when she was required to, usually in public gatherings or when she shared a meal with her sister.

But now, for the first time in her life, she felt like she had a reason to pray. Every day that passed, more enemies appeared, and she had no clue as to who they _truly_ were. The White Fang could be a few dozen rebel faunus, or hundreds, for all she knew. And Ozpin…

 _No. It couldn't have been him_ , she thought vehemently. _He's always protected me_. It had to have been a misunderstanding, or a trick… But even Ruby had seen and _spoken_ to him.

"Dragon," she muttered, kneeling on the balcony of her room with her head bowed. "I know I am not in nearly enough need, but I do not know where else I can turn to. Was my mission foolishness? Did I endanger my life and the royal line for nothing? I… I need a sign that I am in the right path."

She paused, patiently waiting for an answer of any kind. All the while, she felt like an idiotic little girl… But, if she didn't show her belief was true, then her prayers would never be answered.

"Please… I need _clarity_ …"

Weiss waited silently. After a while, she started to feel strangely, as if she was being watched by someone outside of her vision. She resisted the urge to rise up and look around, knowing it was best to remain patient and pious until the sensation faded away.

"Oh, _please_ ," a voice sounded behind her. "That is a surprising amount of horse crap for someone of such blue blood."

"What?!" Weiss jumped to her feet and turned. To her surprise, she found Yang Xiao Long standing in the middle of her room with a devious smile on her face. "What are you doing here?! I should call the guards right now and have you thrown in the dungeon!"

"You _shouldn't_ ," Yang corrected. She sounded very sure about herself, which annoyed Weiss greatly. "You owe me answers, _your highness_. And if you refuse to cooperate… Well…"

Weiss scowled at the threat. What _could_ Yang do? Spread rumors about the princess heir having magical powers? Surely, no sane person would believe her. But if Winter caught wind of the rumors, she would know they couldn't have emerged without justification.

So, as much as the princess wanted to kick Yang out of her room and, even better, the castle, she couldn't risk angering her. Her only hope was that she would be merciful with her questions.

"Fine," Weiss said, exhaling heavily. She bit her lower lip, searching for any way to distract her unwanted visitor. "Shouldn't you be with your mother?"

"We've talked enough," Yang responded. "Summer is not my real mother. She's Ruby's."

"Oh," Weiss's cheeks reddened. "I suppose that is rather obvious. You look nothing like either of them."

"Yes," the blonde's eyes narrowed. "Tell me about your powers. Is it ice magic, or something else?"

The princess sighed. So much for stalling the inevitable.

"You could call it that," she said hesitantly, turning to look at the city from her balcony. "I was born with it."

"Born with it?" Yang almost leaped to her side, which only annoyed the princess further. "Does that mean the queen is magic too?"

"Yes. It's in the royal bloodline," Weiss glared at her. "And it's a _secret_. We don't use these powers, we don't _think_ about them, and we certainly don't want everyone else accusing us of… of being witches, or other stupidities!"

"If it's any consolation, I would call you a witch even if I didn't know you had magic."

Weiss closed her eyes. If she started to scream furiously, it would draw a lot of unwanted attention.

"So, what exactly can you do?" Yang continued. "I know you can encase people in ice. What more? Can you… make snow? Can you control the weather?"

"I don't know," Weiss muttered bitterly, leaning on the balcony. "I never use it. What you saw was an exception. Now stop bothering me about it."

To her surprise, Yang complied with her wishes and sat on the edge of the balcony. Her expression was serene, which contradicted everything Weiss had previously seen from her yet.

Unfortunately, what little credit Yang was earning would quickly be ruined by her next phrase.

"I really don't get why anyone would worship a dragon."

"Why- It's not a literal dragon! It… It only takes the form of one." Weiss corrected.

"That still doesn't explain why you would worship it," Yang pointed out. "According to your fairytales, _It_ tried to drown everyone because we _sinned_. Boo hoo. No one's perfect, you oversized lizard!"

"How dare you!" Weiss exclaimed. She had never heard anyone talk about the Dragon that way, and it didn't feel right at all. "They're not fairytales! And you shouldn't call It a… what you just said!

"Alright. I'm _so sorry_ if I offended you," Yang rolled her eyes. "Just don't start talking to me about the Moon. _She_ is a giant arsehole, and don't believe anyone that says otherwise."

The blonde dropped back to the floor while Weiss just stood beside her, not knowing how to react to what she had just heard. Yang chuckled and took one of her hands and patted it comfortingly.

"Don't think about it for too long," she advised. "And close your mouth. That's no appropriate look for a princess."

Weiss realized Yang was right and that she had been staring at her, slack-jawed, for a good while now. Just the thought of that made her ashamed – how could she forget all the training she had received about posture and etiquette, in so little time?

"Don't be ashamed, princess," the blonde winked at her and strode towards the door. "I have that effect on people."

The only thing Weiss could do was look away and wallow in her humiliation as Yang left the room with a content smile on her face.

* * *

 _"Weiss! Hey! Come with me, there's something interesting going on!"_

 _At the age of fifteen, Winter hadn't been much different from the common youth. If anything, her royal raising had made it difficult for her to have many friends of her exact age, and so she had grown used to interacting with the children of the court. It wasn't too rare to hear a noble or another whispering about how childish she was, despite her being the heiress to the kingdom._

 _The same critique wasn't directed at Weiss, of course. She had barely six years of age at that time, and the possibility of her ever having to sit on the throne wasn't discussed much, if at all._

 _Despite the nine year gap between their ages, the two sisters had a close bond. Winter didn't feel shame in spending time with her little sister, and she often snuck her into meetings meant for more adult ears, despite their parents' constant disapproval._

 _That day, she did nothing different._

 _"Stop playing with your toys!" Winter had urged by the door of her sister's room. "We can't miss this!"_

 _"What?" Weiss had asked. "What's happening?"_

 _"The Reaper's here!"_

 _Without asking for permission, Winter had raced to her sister and raised her in her arms, then put her sitting on her shoulders. Then she had run off through the hallways of the castle, not wanting to waste a moment of their time, while Weiss giggled happily above her._

 _In a matter of minutes, they were in the throne room. Every noble in the castle seemed to have gathered there, and Winter had been smart enough to weave through them and hide behind a curtain before someone thought of forbidding her and Weiss's presence._

 _The queen and the king had been sitting on their thrones, outwardly appearing to be calm, but Winter had seen by her father's eyes that he was very, very worried._

 _After many restless minutes, the crowd parted, and a half dozen soldiers marched to the throne. One of them had separated from the rest, stepping forward, and shoved a woman in front of him. She fell to her knees, silent._

 _Winter had to rub her eyes and look again. From all the stories she had heard, she had formed the image of the Reaper as a scarred, hard-looking woman, but what she found was someone of surprisingly mild stature, with fair skin, beautiful red hair and young, delicate face._

 _"_ That's _the Reaper?" Weiss had whispered on her ear, clearly disappointed._

 _"Yeah?" Winter had answered tentatively. "I think so. There is only one Reaper…"_

 _The woman had looked up at the rulers in a way that Winter had never seen before. It was as if she had intended to appear defiant and angry, but hadn't been able to muster the will for it._

 _"Summer Rose," the king's voice had boomed through the room, silencing the nobles at once. "I did not expect to ever see you in our kingdom again," his eyes narrowed. "I wonder what you were planning to do here. Have you and your friends given up on Mistral already, and now want to become enemies of Vale?"_

 _"We are not as forgiving as the southerners, Reaper," the queen had warned. "But if you come clean and give the location of your comrades, we will spare your lives."_

 _Summer had looked down again and muttered something._

 _"What was that?" The king asked. "Repeat yourself, louder this time."_

 _She then raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears._

 _"I said they're dead!" She had exclaimed. "They all are_ dead _! Now release me and_ let me be _!"_

 _"What?" The king leaned forward. "That's madness!"_

 _"I-it's true! They killed… everyone… even… even my little girl…"_

 _After that, someone shifted beside Winter, and she almost let out a scream. General Ozpin had been standing nearby for quite a while, though she hadn't taken notice until then._

 _"G-General!" She had spoken in a low voice. "P-please don't tell mom and dad…?"_

 _The general had turned to look at her, as if surprised to see her there. In a matter of seconds, however, his expression was back to its usual – calm and reserved._

 _"Of course," he had smiled gently. "As long as you let me escort you and your sister out silently."_

 _"Y-yes!" Winter had nodded fervently. She would have preferred to stay and watch the rest of the event, but she knew better than to argue with Ozpin._

 _In the evening of that same day, Winter learned that the Reaper had been spared and, to her surprise, that she was being housed at the castle. She had found the thought of such a legendary figure living so near her exciting, though she couldn't understand why that was allowed._

 _She first asked her father, and he had directed her to her mother. The queen, however, only said it was a complicated matter, and that they didn't have to fear the Reaper anymore._

 _It wasn't until two years later and her parents were dead that she had sought to have that question answered definitely by someone else._

* * *

For once, Ruby decided to take her time getting back to her house. The smell of fresh air filled her lungs and made her sigh happily. The day had gone from hectic, with the princess almost getting killed, to one of the best in her life. Her mother was alive and well, and she wanted to spend every moment she could with her.

Of course, she still had her duties to take care of. She would be doubling her efforts at guarding the princess – no more missions outside the castle! And… Well, she would have to talk to Ozpin soon. Something strange was happening, and she needed to let him know, and take his advice.

When she arrived home, Yang was already sleeping, but Blake was sitting on the edge of Ruby's bed, reading a book. The faunus didn't twitch until Ruby laid her weapons on the ground with a slight clashing noise.

"You're back," Blake said quietly. "…How did it go?"

"Oh, you know," Ruby did her best to contain her excitement. If she started to talk, she would never stop, and Yang would wake up and be very, very angry. "It was weird, but nice too."

"Are you happy?"

"Yeah!"

Blake smiled slightly, then turned to her book again. Ruby sat beside her, anxious.

"Blake… I'm sorry I pressured you into coming along," the redhead muttered. "I feel really bad. The princess didn't treat you too well, and later… You must have been pretty scared."

"I wasn't scared," Blake noted instantly. After a slight pause, she sighed and spoke again. "Maybe a little. I wasn't expecting that anyone would actually attack her."

"I was," Ruby crossed her arms smugly. "I said it from the very beginning."

Blake nodded. She seemed to be trying to read her book, but not being to focus on it. After a while, she turned to look at Ruby.

"Do you think… you could teach me how to fight?" She asked hesitantly. "I just felt so useless today. While Yang went to rescue the princess, I just hid in an alleyway."

"Hmm… You don't have to fight to be useful, Blake," Ruby said earnestly. "You're pretty smart already."

"Maybe," Blake shrugged. "But I can't defend myself with my brain alone."

"Alright. We can start tomorrow. I'm really sleepy right now…"

Blake gasped and rose from the bed.

"I'm sorry!" She said. "Y-you can sleep now."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Ruby giggled. "If you didn't leave, I would just sleep with my head in your lap or something."

Blake blushed profusely and went to sit on a distant chair, then buried her head in her book. Ruby was puzzled by the reaction to her joke, but didn't think too long about it.

She would need all the rest she could get for the next days.

* * *

 _"My queen?"_

 _The throne room was dark as Summer walked through it. It was the dead of night, but no torches were lit – the guards weren't expecting anyone to be there so late. Fortunately, or not so much, Summer had the queen's sobs to guide her way._

 _"Winter," she called softly. "I'm here."_

 _The girl was sitting on her deceased mother's throne, her head down on her hands as tears trailed down her cheeks. Summer smiled kindly and touched her on the shoulder. Winter looked up at her, blue eyes glimmering in the darkness._

 _"Leave me alone," she croaked. "I don't_ need _anyone!"_

 _"Alright, alright. I just wanted to check on you," Summer said. "Don't let the sadness get to you. Take your time to grieve, but don't let it consume you."_

 _"What would you know about grief?!" Winter exclaimed shrilly._

 _"Everything."_

 _Summer leaned forward and planted a kiss the queen's forehead, then turned around and walked away. Winter's sobs lessened gradually behind her._

 _When she arrived at the hallway outside, Summer was startled by a dark shape on the wall across from her. She reached for her scythe, but whoever it was raised their hands peacefully and took a step forward._

 _"Ozpin," she sighed in relief. "Don't do that. Our king and queen just got assassinated – I would have drawn on you if you had been any slower."_

 _"I appreciate your readiness to defend the throne," he smiled humorlessly. "How did you know Winter would be in there?"_

 _Summer paused for a moment, then raised her eyebrows comically._

 _"How did_ you _know?"_

 _And then she walked away, but until she turned a corner, she could feel the general staring at the back of neck like a hawk._

* * *

"My queen?"

Summer entered Winter's room, looking around carefully for any other visitors. It was past the time for any usual visits, but it never hurt to be careful.

As usual, the queen was standing on the balcony, staring quietly at the city below. The sight was so typical, Summer rolled her eyes before joining her.

"Winter," she greeted shortly. "I see you're reflecting on something while staring out into the distance. Very peculiar."

"Funny," Winter replied wryly. "I didn't have the best of days, as you ought to know. My little sister was almost killed, and in the process we've learned we might be dealing with enemies we don't even know."

"Perhaps we know those enemies already," Summer let that hang for a moment. "The White Fang isn't as devoted to their faunus cause as to not recruit a human… or four."

"I think that's a stretch."

" _I_ think you shouldn't worry about this right now."

Summer stared at the queen intensely. After a few seconds, Winter turned to look at her and nodded slightly, as if to show she agreed with that thought.

"I didn't expect to see you here today," she said. "Or any day from now, to be precise."

"And why would that be?" Summer raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Your daughter is back," Winter noted. "Your grief is over."

"Is it? Grieving was so fun after a while, though," the redhead smirked. "I can still grieve for my husband, though I don't think you would appreciate that too much."

Winter just glared at her, which only confirmed her point.

"You're no fun." Summer shook her head.

"Hmm," to the Reaper's surprise, Winter let a little smug smile come through. "Is that why you keep coming back?"

Summer laughed and took the opportunity to close the distance between them, then eagerly crashed her lips with the queen's. Winter let her have her fun for a while before gently pushing her away slightly.

"Not on the balcony." She said firmly.

"Really? And I thought you were easing up, finally," Summer sighed. "Alright. But one day I'll convince you!"

"Keep dreaming," Winter sat on the edge of her bed. "You're negotiating with a queen. We don't yield easily."

Summer paused for a moment. It was oddly suspicious for Winter to act so… loosely. Usually, she was uptight to the point of saying nothing for the whole night. Maybe it was the stress of the day getting to her, or maybe she was grateful Summer had rescued her little sister.

Whatever the reason, Summer would take full advantage of the situation.

"I see," she smiled and reached for the knot of her cape. "Let me give you a fair warning, though… Rebels know _very well_ how to negotiate."

* * *

 **Well, that was a lot of stuff. Longest chapter yet. YAY! I guess that's my Christmas gift for you guys!  
**

 **I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter on _itself_. This is one of these chapters that is really, _really_ important for the entirety of the story... So if you were confused by any passages here, it's probably because it's meant to link with some later plot points. (Unless it was just badly written or typo'd, then feel free to talk shit about me... and point whatever it is out so I can fix it)**

 **Also, to the guest that showed concern over the Summer x Winter pairing (which was confirmed this chapter), and anyone that shares that concern: This has a LOT of plot significance. I'm not throwing it on here because "OMG THAT WOULD BE SO COOL". If you're getting a bad vibe out of it... Well, stick around. You might be surprised at what comes of it.**

 **And, for the record, they have roughtly a ten year age gape between them (in this story). Winter's 25 , Summer's 35. For aditional information, that means Summer had Ruby at age 19. In this story's setting, I think that's justifiable.**

 **Anyway. I hope each and every one of you has an awesome New Year's Eve, and an even more awesome 2016!**

 **-Zeroan**


	7. Temptation

The morning after Weiss's daring adventure, the council united once more. There was much to be discussed: who exactly were those who target the princess? Were they involved in any way with the White Fang? What measures should be taken to combat them?

It didn't take long for the round table to be filled with every single member of the council. The Queen, as always, took her pivotal seat. Lady Summer arrived with a small smirk on her lips, though nobody batted an eye at that – it would have been worrying had she appeared in any worse mood.

General Ozpin did not seem nearly as happy as her. Dark rings surrounded his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well, if at all, and he gripped his cane so tightly, one could assume he had some pent-up anger waiting to be released. His eyes still bore over everyone calmly, however.

The last one to make her appearance was the princess. Weiss entered the room with her head low. She shared one brief look with her sister before rushing to her seat beside Summer, and the redhead gave her a quiet, comforting smile.

"Thank you for meeting here so readily," Winter said briefly, wishing to jump directly into the meat of things, but knowing that pleasantries were still necessary. "I assume everyone knows what transpired yesterday. However, I think it would be best to refresh your memories and correct any misinformation. Weiss, if you would…?"

The princess's face paled and she did her best to not meet anyone's eyes. It felt like the whole room was holding her at gunpoint. What was she supposed to tell them, that she had foolishly left the safety of the castle to admire the wonders of commoner life? She would not only be treated as a jester, but as a failure and a disgrace to her line.

Thankfully, someone else stepped up for her. Summer straightened her posture and assumed a more serious expression.

"If you would allow, my Queen, I would like to fill the gaps myself," she said firmly. "I was rather close to the happenings, after all."

Winter stared at her silently for a long while. She knew Weiss was trying to avoid the consequences of her actions, and that was something she would never allow… But Summer's argument was rather convincing, and, for some reason, she found herself quickly agreeing to the idea.

"You may speak." Winter said decisively.

"You are most gracious, my Queen," Summer gave her a brief, playful look before starting her tale. "Yesterday morning, as the sun first appeared on the horizon, the princess heir… left the castle on a self-imposed mission. She was under competent protection, thankfully, but her life was put in risk nonetheless," she paused briefly to catch her breath. "The assassins were not identified neither by the princess or her bodyguard, and their descriptions have shed no light on the matter. One of them, a girl who calls herself… _Emerald Sustrai_ , is being held in the dungeons right as we speak. It has come to my attention that the general has interrogated her…?"

Ozpin had been paying close attention, and so he was not caught by surprise when the focus of the room was shifted to him.

"I have indeed interrogated the assassin," he said. "Unfortunately, she refused to speak anything but taunts and threats disguised as banter. It will take time and effort to get any information from her," he raised an open palm, interrupting the half of the council that intended to bombard him with questions. "I think until then, it would be best to focus on what happened exactly to the princess. Perhaps there is something of importance we haven't yet grabbed onto."

"That's a sound plan," Summer agreed, then turned to look at Weiss. "Do you have anything of importance to add, my princess? Any information is vital to the investigation."

Weiss's eyes wandered over to Ozpin. She was still struggling with what she had seen the day before. Ozpin had approached her in that alley. He had distracted Ruby long enough for her to be struck by surprise from behind.

But none of that made sense. He had disappeared afterward, as if he had never been there. And what motive would he have to attack her so openly, and then investigate the attack so closely?

"Well?" Summer pressed gently. "Anything?"

"I'm… afraid not," Weiss replied slowly. "Everything happened very fast."

"That's understandable," the redhead smiled at her. "But if you remember anything…"

The princess nodded slightly, though her mind was still focused on Ozpin's mystery. She supposed the best she could do was wait until more concrete evidence showed – of his innocence, she hoped.

The council discussed the matter for another hour, but arrived at no spectacular conclusion. By the end of the meeting, it was agreed that Ozpin should continue to interrogate the prisoner until she spoke, and that the Guard should receive orders to be very attentive of any suspicious sightings in and out of the castle.

Weiss stood from her seat at the first appropriate moment and made for the exit. She felt her sister's disapproving glare on the back of her neck, but kept walking until she was out the door.

Ruby had been leaning against the wall outside, but she immediately sprung to attention when the princess appeared before her. She saw the pained expression on Weiss's face and wanted to ask how she was feeling, but she had already learned it was better to let her deal with these things on her own.

"I'll be spending the day on my room," Weiss said tiredly. After a moment, she spoke again. "Today and the rest of my life, probably."

Ruby smiled sympathetically, but didn't speak up. She had a feeling that last phrase hadn't been meant for her ears.

Before they could make their leave, Summer exited the council room. She glanced over the princess and focused on her daughter, a smile taking form between her lips.

"My little soldier," she said proudly. "Hmm. You're not that little anymore… _But_ you're still adorable."

Ruby's heart ached with joy, but she only looked down in embarrassment, nodding slightly towards the princess.

"Ah, yes," Summer chuckled and looked at Weiss. "Far be it for me to embarrass you in front of the royal heiress."

"She had embarrassed herself enough on her own already," Weiss noted dryly. She glanced at Ruby, her expression softening a little. "But… you should be very proud of her."

"Your approval means the world to me, princess." Summer said warmly.

Ruby had to dig her nails onto her palms to stop herself from hugging the two of them. Summer wouldn't have minded, but Weiss? The princess wasn't very fond of hugs, as far as she had gathered.

"I must apologize," Weiss said, her voice so low she was almost muttering. "I never made the connection between you two. If I had, you could have met again much sooner."

Summer took the princess's hands and smiled to her, making sure that their eyes met. She should know, of all people, how much this meant to Weiss. Summer had been there when the princess's parents had been murdered, after all.

Perhaps Weiss was jealous of her bodyguard's luck, finding a mother that was supposed to be dead for years. But Summer doubted that was the case. Weiss might be privileged and a tad arrogant, but she wasn't greedy.

"Don't worry about it, princess," Summer said. "I never told you my daughter's name… Not only that, I barely ever spoke of her. It was painful. I don't fault you for anything, especially during these dangerous times."

"That's… comforting," Weiss frowned. "Though it was rather obvious, wasn't it? I knew both of you were Roses, and you look so alike…"

"Well, yes. It was obvious," the once-rebel smiled bitterly, her eyes wandering to the council room's door. "So obvious that I wonder how some _other_ people didn't see it… years ago."

She shrugged, then took a step back.

"I would love to spend time with you, Ruby," she said. "But I have duties, just like you. The Queen has requested I use my… _unique_ contacts to investigate the assassins."

"You have contacts?!" Ruby exclaimed. The prospect of her mother having a hidden network of informants sounded very exciting to her.

"Of course. That's one advantage of being a rebel," Summer cleared her throat and nodded awkwardly to Weiss. "Not that I recommend that life for you, little one."

The princess shook her head slowly. The family resemblance became clearer each passing moment.

Summer bowed briefly, then turned and walked away. Ruby watched her leave with a smile that went from ear to ear, bouncing slightly without noticing it. She stayed like that for a few more seconds before she noticed Weiss had started to head in her room's direction already. With a gasp of surprise, the bodyguard caught up to her liege and looks expectantly at her.

"P-princess, I'm not sure how to say this…"

"Just say it," Weiss said indifferently, though a hint of a smile crept on her lips. "I doubt you'll ever surprise me again."

"W-well… Blake – you know, that shy friend of mine," Ruby gulped. "She asked me to teach her how to fight. So… I was planning on doing that in the castle courtyard. I _could_ take her here at night once my shift's over, but…"

"But you would prefer to do it during the day, while you're still rested… relatively speaking," Weiss completed for her, then sighed. "That is a lofty request, Ruby, considering that my life has been targeted not once, but _twice_ this month. You would think my bodyguard would be most worried about my safety, and not some plebeian girl's training."

"Blake's not a plebeian girl," Ruby corrected, her voice oddly serious. "She's my friend."

Weiss halted in her tracks, staring pointedly forward. Ruby cringed, believing that she had pushed the line too far. Weiss had a very valid point, after all.

"Fine. You may bring Blake here, but make it fast. I'll ask a guard to watch over me temporarily," the princess said grudgingly. "I'll watch your training once you're back."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best princess's ever!" Ruby squealed, then proceeded to hug her liege to tightly Weiss found herself running out of air.

"Alright, alright! Release me!" Weiss demanded, and was obeyed immediately.

Ruby smiled widely and turned to leave, but a cough behind her made her stop and look back.

"And, Ruby," the princess said slowly, keeping her eyes away from her protector. "I'm not allowing this out of the kindness of my heart. I _suppose_ you've earned a favor for being a good… bodyguard," Weiss coughed again. "But I expect you to work twice as hard from now on."

"Yes, princess!" Ruby exclaimed earnestly. "I'll be so fast, you won't even notice I'm gone!"

"I highly doubt-"

Midway through her sentence, Ruby raced off, raising a line of dust behind her. The princess stood still, shaking her head in wonder.

"She _is_ rather fast…"

* * *

Banana peel.

Half-eaten apple.

Another banana peel.

 _Rotten_ banana peel.

Some kind of toy? Definitely not edible.

Ah. Another banana peel.

Sun groaned and raised himself from the ground, his tail wavering anxiously around him. His stomach was making odd and loud noises regularly, result of his lack of nutrition for a whole day now. Vale's shops had seemingly had a lucrative and waste-free day, because he hadn't found a single piece of food in their trash yet.

Sometimes, he thought it might be best to just knock a guard in the head and not run away. As a slave, he would be cold and uncomfortable, but at least he would be fed…

But then he reminded himself that it was way more probable that he would be beaten half to death, either by the guard itself or whatever lord he was handed to. He would have to make do with his current lifestyle, even if it meant searching relentlessly for hours.

Before he could make for the next trash pile, though, something happened behind him – an odd sound, like metal softly beating against the stone floor. Sun steeled himself and spun around, gripping his staff with both hands at the same time.

"No luck today, eh, buddy?"

Sun's eyes narrowed at the stranger. He had strange orange hair that was partly concealed by a black top hat. Stranger still was the suit he wore – white, made of silk, something that should belong to a nobleman – and the cane he was bobbing to the ground distractedly.

"Who the hell are you?" Sun asked warily.

"A friend," the stranger smiled. "Though I suppose you won't be satisfied by that answer… Nobody ever is. You may call me Roman."

"Right," Sun said slowly. "So, are you just being friendly, _Roman_ , or should I run?"

"Oh, no, no, no! There's no need for worry, my friend!" Roman waved his free hand peacefully. "I have a proposition for you."

Sun took that statement as a cue to leave. Without saying anything, he turned and headed for the exit of the alley – but was promptly knocked back by someone he hadn't noticed before. A little girl stood there, blocking the way, her pink and brown eyes staring up at him gleefully.

He didn't fail to notice the knife hanging on her hip.

"I'm profoundly sorry," Roman spoke behind him. "I just want you to hear me out, that's all. Don't mind Neo. She's just… playful."

"That doesn't comfort me at all," Sun noted, edging towards a wall. "Little girls shouldn't play with knifes."

"Neo isn't a little girl," Roman chuckled. "But that's beside the point. Will you hear me out?"

The faunus stared from the girl to the hatted man. He could try to get a boost from the wall and jump to the rooftops, but he doubted either of his _friends_ would allow him to leave – not unscathed, at least. Seeing no way out, he nodded, while still keeping a firm grip on his staff.

"Wonderful!" Roman exclaimed. "Then let's get to the point. I haven't failed to notice, my friend, that you are a faunus. In fact, that is the reason why I approached you in the first place!" He took a step back when Sun raised his staff defensively. "Now, now, it's not what you think. I'm not going to hand you to the guards. I wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire, believe me. But faunus? I _love_ faunus! Such misunderstood victims, they are…"

Sun's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. He cast a brief glance at Neo, but the girl only smiled at him. He supposed she was trying to reinforce her partner's point, but Sun was more scared than comforted by the effort.

"Fortunately, there is a group of people – _people_ , that is the keyword! Faunus _and_ humans – that is willing to fight for _your_ freedom!" Roman spun his cane and pointed a finger at Sun triumphantly. "Luck is on your side, pal, because I'm with them, and I can offer you a place amongst their ranks!"

Sun frowned, letting his guard down a bit. He definitely hadn't expected that, of all things.

"Sorry," he said. "I like the White Fang, but I'm not really willing to fight for them or anything."

"Why not?" Roman inquired, his eyes narrowing accusingly. "Would you prefer your kin be forever bound to greedy, human lords? To be held as trophies, as _animals_?"

"No! Of course not!" Sun protested furiously. "I just don't feel like fighting! You've got a lot of people already, why should I risk my life too? I wouldn't improve your odds at all!"

"Hmm. That is a valid point, friend," Roman smiled again, his teeth so white sunlight seemed to reflect off it. Sun had a feeling the man had been planning to lead this conversation to this point all along. "You are _really_ in luck, pal. I have just the thing for you…"

Sun watched cautiously as Roman searched for something within his suit's pockets. After a while, the White Fang conspirator made a victorious noise and raised his hand, revealing an object Sun had never seen before in his life. It was like a rock, black as night, but gleaming somewhat, like a precious gemstone. Odder, however, was that it seemed to be enlarging and shrinking, very small amounts each time, but enough for Sun to notice it.

"What is that?" The faunus asked wondrously.

"We haven't named it yet," Roman answered, his voice barely a whisper. "But it can give you power… Power enough to raise you above most of our men. It would give you the chance to make a difference…"

"There… There has to be a catch…"

"No catch. I promise."

Sun wavered, his eyes never leaving the stone. It felt like it was drawing his in, deeper and deeper into its black void… The back of his neck itched, a shiver running through his body…

And then he blinked and stumbled back, shaking his head fervently.

"So," Roman's mirth was obvious in his voice. "Will you fight with us?"

"…No."

Roman's face changed from triumphant to startled in a heartbeat. He obviously had been expecting a very different answer. Only a few seconds later, however, and he was once again wearing his smug smile.

"You can't win them all," Roman clucked his tongue and looked at Neo. "I should have expected this. No spine," his eyes wandered back to Sun. "Sorry, buddy."

Roman put the stone back on his pocket. When his hand left the confines of his suit, it held a shiny, menacing pistol.

Sun's first instinct was to run away, but years of living on the streets had wizened him up. If he ran, he would be shot immediately, and, if he followed his rooftop plan, knock him right out of the air and back to the ground. No, he had to make sure that gun wouldn't be a problem.

"Hey, no need to apologize," Sun smiled charmingly. "We're pals, aren't we, Roman?"

"Heh," Roman chuckled. "I suppose we are."

"I haven't even told you my name," the faunus noted, feigning surprise. "That ain't right, not for friends like us. My name is-"

Suddenly, Sun swung his arms down and up, hitting the underside of Roman's pistol with his staff. The firearm flew out of the hatted man's hands and flew through the air, hitting the ground far behind him. Without missing a beat, Sun swung again, hitting Roman's forehead with the butt of his weapon.

His ears perked up as something sharp pierced through the air near him. Sun ducked instinctively, just in time to avoid having a knife wedged on the back of his skull. He turned around and flashed a smile to Neo.

"Missed me." He said.

Neo returned his smile and opened her jacket, revealing a dozen hidden knifes of differing varieties. Sun's eyes widened in disbelief.

As the girl collected a knife and prepared to throw it, Sun jumped and kicked against a wall, gaining altitude fast. One leap wasn't enough, though – he was an arm's reach away from the nearest rooftop. He kicked again and made to the opposing rooftop.

Just as he made the distance, a knife plunged into his left leg. The faunus crashed on the rooftop and rolled, blood pouring from his wound. Sun gritted his teeth and yanked the blade out, then threw the weapon back down the alley.

He didn't waste another moment before sprinting away. Roman was out cold, and maybe Neo didn't have the ability to replicate his acrobatics – but he had seen too much of the creepy girl to put much faith in that possibility.

And so, with a bleeding leg and an empty stomach, Sun survived another day.

* * *

"Are you sure this is safe, Ruby?"

The bodyguard turned to look at Blake, a sympathetic smile on her lips. They were standing before Vale castle's entrance archway. The high walls and towers were frightening enough on their own, and Blake had the people inside them to worry about too.

"Everything will be fine," Ruby assured. "People might be confused about who you are, but as long as you're with me, they won't bother you."

"What if they figure out I'm a faunus?" Blake whispered worriedly. "This bow isn't the most common accessory."

"Hey, my mom and I both use capes, and nobody looks twice at us," the redhead noted.

Blake wasn't very satisfied by that, but she supposed it was too late to go back.

"Alright," she said. "I want to get stronger, and not only physically. I have to face my fears."

"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed proudly. "That's super great! Keep up that attitude!"

The faunus smiled slightly. If Ruby was as good a teacher as she was excited, Blake would be a master in only a week's time.

Ruby grabbed her friend's wrist and led her along in a hurried pace – for anyone else's standards, that is. She smiled widely to any nobles that passed by them, while Blake limited herself to occasionally nodding with shy eyes.

A few minutes after, they arrived at the courtyard, where a number of dummies were set up, along with a stash of weapons. Blake stepped into the area hesitantly, while Ruby eagerly raced to a nearby bench, where Weiss had been sitting quietly.

"I have to give you credit. You were faster than I expected," Weiss noted. She looked behind her, where a guard was standing solemnly. "Thank you, sir. You may return to your previous post."

The man nodded and walked away. Weiss scoured the courtyard silently, her eyes settling on Blake.

"Hello, Blake," she greeted politely. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Thank you," Blake answered immediately. A heavy silence followed, until Ruby skipped over to Blake and elbowed her lightly. "I-it's a pleasure to see you too, princess."

Weiss raised an eyebrow dubiously, but decided to let the matter go. She doubted the girl had meant any disrespect. She was probably very shy, as Ruby had said before.

"Well," Ruby spoke loudly, as if to draw everyone's attention to her. "Do you want to learn how to wield swords and pistols, Blake?"

"Swords would be nice. Pistols…" Blake paused momentarily. "They are a bit too loud for my liking."

"Loud?" Ruby repeated confusedly, then looked up at the faunus's concealed cat ears. "That's fine. Only swords, then."

Ruby went over to the weapon stash and rummaged through it for a while before retrieving a sword similar to her own. She tossed it over to Blake, who only barely managed to catch it.

"How does it feel?" Ruby asked. "It has to have the perfect balance. Too light or too heavy… That could mean _very_ bad things in a battle."

"Hmm…" Blake tested the sword. "Heavy."

Ruby tossed another sword, this one a bit shorter. Blake swung it again, very sluggishly.

"Heavy." She repeated.

They went on like that a few more times. Blake always found the suggested swords too heavy. Ruby didn't show any impatience, but Weiss crossed her arms and huffed not so subtly.

"This one…" Blake said once she caught the eighth sword. "Is fine, actually."

Ruby hopped once triumphantly. Blake smiled amusedly. The sword was better than the last ones, but it still didn't feel very right for her. But she preferred to start learning already, or Ruby would spend the entire afternoon searching for an appropriate weapon.

"Alright," Ruby said. "Since you won't be using a pistol, we'll focus on a two-handed stance for now. We can work on how to use only one later."

"That sounds sensible." Blake agreed hesitantly.

"Yeah. Alright. Hmm… Keep your feet wide… And don't tense your arms to much! And… And…"

Weiss smiled and leaned back a little. This was going to be entertaining to watch.

* * *

Pyrrha's feet clang heavily on the outer walls of Vale, though that sound was deafened by that of the blizzard outside. It hurt to look at the raging horizon for too long, and so she kept her eyes mostly to the ground.

She had no obligation to be there. The walls were heavily stationed with soldiers already. In fact, there were probably too many of them – no army would dare face the northern winter to invade Vale.

But she liked to stand there, at the edge. Maybe it was silly, but she felt closer to home there. She liked Vale a lot, but nothing felt quite like Mistral. She missed her mother's warmth, her father's stories. She even missed her servants, who had grown close to her heart over the years. She wouldn't be able to see them until the blizzard died down, months from now, and even then, getting back home would take a long time.

Her homesickness wasn't the only thing that brought her to the outer walls, though. Lately, she had been feeling rather… suffocated in Vale castle. Most of the nobles treated her like a stranger – which, admittedly, she was – and the ones that didn't… They were perhaps even more problematic.

Her relationship with prince Neptune had started well. They were both from Mistral, kept in Vale for far too long because of the weather. She thought it would be nice to talk to him, but with time, their conversations became… _Not_ actual conversations. She didn't think endless flirting from one side counted as conversation.

Princess Weiss was cold towards her. Pyrrha was sure she meant no ill harm towards her, but it was obvious that Weiss didn't like her too much… Which confused her. The white-haired girl had seemed pleased to meet her, citing how skillful and famed she was, but when Neptune joined them… Something changed.

"Huh," Pyrrha muttered. "Well, everything seems rather obvious now."

So Weiss was jealous? Well. She would keep that to herself. The princess would hardly appreciate word of that spreading to the nobility.

And Jaune…

Jaune was odd. He was fairly normal, with a tendency for awkwardness and self-embarrassment. She had seen him drop his weapons and hit himself more times than she could count. All logic dictated she shouldn't look twice at him. But he made her feel…

She cleared her throat and scratched her chin, pretending to not feel how heated her cheeks had become.

Suddenly, she felt an odd sensation pass through her, as if something was watching her intently. She looked at the horizon for a long moment, then slowly brought her vision lower and lower… Until it fell on a conjunction of red eyes. Two, four, six, eight, and they all seemed to belong to one body.

A Death Stalker. A Death Stalker within a dozen steps of the walls.

Without hesitation, Pyrrha retrieved her rifle from behind her back and took aim at the creature. She knew from experience that this species of Grimm possessed a tough stone-like shell that protected most of its body. Her bullets would do it no harm, unless she was clever.

Raising her aim a little, she finally found an appropriate target. The monster's tail hang up in the air, a golden stinger at the end of it standing out amidst the blizzard. Pyrrha held her breath momentarily, preparing herself… Then shot.

The bullet pierced through the air and tore through the connection between the tail and the stinger. The golden spike wobbled for a moment, then fell. It crashed against the creature, who wailed in agony for a long minute, its shell cracking loudly. Then, suddenly, it stopped.

Pyrrha sighed in relief and smiled. That had been too close for comfort. It was normal to see Beowolves or Boarbatusks stray near the city, but Death Stalkers? That was worrisome. She would have to report it to general Ozpin and have him alert the outer Guard.

She fixed her rifle on her back and made to the watchtowers, passing by a pair of soldiers on the way out.

"Was that you who shot?" One of the men asked.

"Yes," she replied worriedly. "I'm sorry if I alarmed you."

"Not at all," the other chuckled. "That was impressive! We ought to get more Mistralian girls like you around here. I would feel a lot safer."

Pyrrha smiled humbly and bowed her head.

"Take care up here," she advised. "If you see any big Grimm… Shoot for the weak spots."

"How do we know the weak spots?" One of the soldiers asked confusedly.

She paused before the exit ladder. That was a tricky question, one which she didn't know the answer to.

"Practice, I guess." She resolved hesitantly, then began climbing down.

The soldier looked to his partner and shook his head.

"Damn Mistralians."

* * *

"Alright! Swing again!"

Blake gritted her teeth and brought her sword down in a diagonal slash. Halfway through the motion, she lost her balance and fell down, the weapon bouncing away loudly.

Weiss winced while Ruby crouched beside Blake to check if she was injured.

"I'm fine," the faunus mumbled. "More embarrassed than anything, really."

"You'll get the hang of it, I'm sure," Ruby laughed nervously. "This was only the fifth time this happened, after all… Haha…"

"I'm a failure…"

Ruby pouted and went to pick up the sword. If anyone was a failure, it was her. She could do nothing but insist Blake repeat the motions until she got it right. There _had_ to be some other way of teaching her, a better, less-embarrassing-when-it-fails way!

As she bent down to get the sword, another person took it. She looked up in surprise and found Ozpin inspecting the blade critically.

"It's not damaged," he noted quietly, his eyes wandering over to Ruby. "You should be grateful for that. I don't remember you asking permission to use any of my weapons."

"Oh. Oh!" Ruby blushed. "I'm so, so sorry, general! W-we'll be off, don't you worry!"

"No, no. It's fine. I was only playing with you," Ozpin smiled amusedly. "You can continue your training. However, I would like to help, if you would allow it."

Ruby gulped. She wasn't sure how long the general had been watching, but it had to be long enough for him to notice she wasn't being successful. She nodded hesitantly and wandered back to Blake.

Weiss sat straighter on her bench, her eyes fixed on Ozpin. It was obvious her mind was working fast, and Ruby had a guess as to why. The redhead frowned. She had already chalked the general's mysterious appearance during the assault as a trick, but apparently the princess didn't think the same.

"Princess." Ozpin greeted politely.

"General," Weiss smiled to him. "How nice of you to join us."

"It _is_ a pleasure," he agreed, then looked at Blake, who had gotten up in a hurry. "I don't believe we have met. My name is Ozpin. I am Vale's High General, which means I train new recruits, amongst other duties."

"I'm Blake," the faunus replied quietly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Are you interested in joining the Guard, Blake?"

The question caught the brunette off guard.

"No," she said hesitantly. "I'm not."

"That's fine. You're not taking time away from anybody," he assured. "First off. You're using the wrong weapon."

"Wrong weapon?!" Ruby exclaimed. "But… But!"

"I can tell you're not strong enough to wield this sword, or any sword, for that matter," Ozpin explained. "Once you build some muscles, that will be different, but for now, you should procure another skillset."

Ruby pouted and went to sit beside Weiss. The princess shook her head slightly, feeling the redhead's disappointment in herself.

Ozpin went to the weapon stash and quickly retrieved two new swords. They were so short, they looked more like daggers. He handed it to the faunus, who weighted them curiously.

"How do they feel?" The general asked.

"They feel… right." She answered honestly.

"That's excellent," Ozpin said. "You won't use these weapons as traditional swords. They are too short for that. To maximize their potential, you will have to use your body, your agility, to your advantage. Don't engage the enemy head on. Dance. Distract them. They are a mouse, you are a cat."

Blake tensed and looked at Ruby, who was now on the edge of her seat.

"Did you get the notion, Blake?" Ozpin asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yes," she said dryly. "I think I do."

"Alright," the general smirked. "You can take over, Ruby. Have a nice day."

As he left the courtyard, Ruby stood and walked over to Blake. Their eyes met warily, their faces pale, but somewhat relieved.

"Sweet Moon," Weiss spoke up. "Stop staring at each other. It's like you've seen a ghost."

"How appropriate!"

Blake almost dropped her daggers in a panic as Summer introduced herself loudly, stepping into the area quickly. The redhead noblewoman paused shortly, a frown appearing on her forehead.

"I meant for that to be funny, because you thought I was dead for ten years," she said. "Looking back, it's not funny at all."

"It's alright," Ruby smiled helpfully. "It was kind of funny…?"

"Oh, well," Summer sat beside Weiss. "Hello, princess. Blake. Can I watch? It's been a tiring day."

Ruby nodded, too nervous to speak. It had been embarrassing enough to have Weiss watching, but now her mother wanted to do the same?

"Princess, how much training have you gotten lately?" Summer asked suddenly.

"Training?" Weiss's eyes narrowed. "I haven't had need for training since I was twelve years old."

"You haven't had _need_?" Summer repeated in disbelief. "Oh, right. You surely weren't targeted by assassins twice in a short span of time. I must be confounding you with another princess."

Weiss's shoulders dropped shamefully.

"What's your point, Lady Summer?" She asked.

"My point is," Summer smiled. "It wouldn't hurt to have _you_ practice with Blake. You could reacquaint yourself with your sword, and save my daughter some bruises in the process."

Weiss looked at the noblewoman dubiously. Why was Ruby getting more privileges than her, all of a sudden?

"Alright. That's not a bad idea," Weiss sighed. "Do you agree, Blake?"

"I'm…" Blake seemed unsure, but one look at Ruby made her appear more courageous. "Yes. We could do that."

"Then it's settled," Weiss nodded. "Just let me go to my room and get my-"

She looked to the side and was surprised to see Summer holding her rapier innocently.

"What?" Weiss blurted out. "When did you get _my_ rapier?"

Summer only smiled enigmatically and shook the sword invitingly. The princess sighed and took the weapon, then walked towards Blake. She stopped in front of the faunus, staring her in the eyes, then took a dozen steps backwards.

"I'll hold back, seeing as how it's your first time." She said comfortingly.

"Thank you." Blake was barely audible, so short of breath she was.

Ruby took her seat beside her mother, a wide smile on her face.

"This will be entertaining to watch."

* * *

 **I'm not dead! Sound the trumpets! [trumpet sounds]  
**

 **I had a bit of difficulty with this chapter. I had the Ruby-Weiss-Blake plot in mind, but inbetween? Bleh. I'm satisfied with how it turned out in the end, though. Both the Sun scene and the Pyrrha scene are very important for the future.**

 **Since I delayed the chapter to freaking Saturday, I'll conviently lend myself a full week's time to get the next one out! Saturday/Sunday is a way better upload day for me, anyway. I guess I'll update like this from now on. Yay!**

 **(BTW, my spellchecking this chapter was super-hurried. If you find anything egregious, do warn me please. I'm lame. Thanks!)**

 **-Zeroan**


	8. Injustice

"Hiya!"

Ruby brought her arms down, swinging her newly-acquired weapon in a quick swipe through the air. However, she had put too much force behind the movement, which resulted in her being unable to stop. The steel blade of the scythe hit the stone floor of the castle courtyard, and the whole of it shook wildly, along with its wielder.

"Hmm," Summer rubbed her chin contemplatively, standing a safe distance behind her daughter. "Perhaps it would be better to try another stance."

" _Another_ stance? But we've gone through a dozen already!" Ruby exclaimed sharply, then looked away and pouted. "And none of them worked."

"Hey, don't be so disappointed. It took me a _long_ time to get even a smidge competent at it," Summer said, moving to lay her hands on Ruby's shoulders. "I wish I could teach you better. I've used a scythe for so long, it's become second nature. It's like trying to teach someone how to breathe."

Ruby let the scythe drop to the floor and crossed her arms. Summer walked around her until they were facing each other. Gently, the older redhead lifted her daughter's chin, staring directly in her eyes.

"Don't be upset," Summer said calmly. "It's a needless distraction."

Ruby stared at her blankly for a few seconds before a smile formed between her lips. Summer chuckled and ruffled her hair playfully.

The sound of steel clashing against steel echoed nearby, prompting Ruby to turn around and look at the other training duo in the courtyard.

Weiss had a confident smirk on her lips as she held her rapier forward with one hand only, the other closed behind her back. Blake was in front of her, bending forward slightly as she let out short, irregular gasps. Her daggers had yet to come anywhere close to making contact with the princess.

"Why, Blake," Weiss spoke haughtily, dropping most of her formality on the battlefield. "I had thought you'd manage to best me at least once by now."

"It's been four days." Blake grunted defensively.

"And?" The princess's lips twitched. "I wonder what would become of you if I were to stop holding back…"

Blake's teeth closed into a feral snarl, and she dashed forward, raising her left hand threateningly. Weiss's rapier shot up to meet the attack expertly – but the princess lost balance as she unexpectedly met no resistance. Blake smiled and twirled around Weiss so that she was standing behind her, then elbowed her on the back.

Weiss shrieked in a not-so-royal manner as she tumbled to the ground. Blake stood there for a while, smiling in light of her momentous victory, until she looked over at Ruby and Summer, who were both shaking their heads nervously.

The faunus's face paled as she looked at the slowly rising princess. Weiss glared at her, and for a moment, Blake was sure she was going to announce her execution.

"Humph," Weiss looked to the side. "I suppose I should take that as a lesson in humility."

"I… Yes…" Blake gulped. She didn't know what was riskier, agreeing or disagreeing. "Perhaps that's wise, princess."

"Yes. But there might be other lessons to be learned from this defeat," Weiss's posture straightened. "For example… That I _definitely_ should not hold back anymore."

Somehow, Blake's face became even paler. She sheathed her daggers hastily and went to sit on a bench. Weiss's eyes followed her with a mixture of suspicion and anger.

"I believe Blake is tired, my princess," Ruby spoke up, meaning to save her friend's hide. "We've been going at it for hours, after all. Shouldn't you rest too?"

"…You think yourself far more convincing than you truly are, Ruby," Weiss said, then sighed and went to sit beside Blake. "But you're right. I need to be rested for the dance tomorrow."

If they hadn't been restrained by her bow, Blake's ears would have shot up curiously.

"Dance?" She asked. "What dance?"

"What do you mean _what dance_?" Weiss scoffed. "The Moon Festival dance!"

"Oh, right!" Blake nodded. "How could I forget? It must be the exhaustion…"

The princess didn't know the brunette well enough to make out if she was saying the truth or trying to save face, so she only shook her head slightly in wonder and decided to not press the issue.

"Hey, maybe Blake could come to the dance too," Ruby suggested excitedly. "I mean, she's not a noble or anything, but she I could bring her as company, right?"

"The _royal bodyguard_ should be _guarding the princess_ , not enjoying the dance," Weiss interjected firmly.

"Oh, Weiss," Summer looked at her daughter pitifully. "I don't see any issue here. Ruby will always be near you during the dance, and she won't let herself be distracted by Blake. Right, Ruby?"

"Right!" Ruby nodded enthusiastically.

Summer turned to look at Weiss, her head tilting forward slightly as if to put pressure on the princess. Weiss was silent for a few moments, but eventually she raised a hand consentingly.

"I will allow it," she said. "But if anything bad happens, Ruby… I will be _very_ upset."

Ruby continued to nod, much to the princess's amusement.

"There's a… Uh, a problem," Blake said shyly. "I can't really attend this dance. I don't own any dresses for that."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Summer swung her hand through the air dismissively. "I will buy you a magnificent dress. I know many merchants. There has to be _one_ dress worthy of being worn by you."

Blake blushed and looked down. She wanted to refuse Summer's offer, but it would be rude, and perhaps even a bit suspicious.

"T-thank you, Lady Summer," she muttered. "You are too kind."

"I'm only doing my duty as a mother," Summer shrugged lightly, patting Ruby on the head. "I can tell Ruby would be very disappointed if you couldn't accompany her. She is very eagerly awaiting the chance to dance with you."

"What?!" Ruby exclaimed, her cheeks reddening. "No, I'm not!"

"I'm your _mother_! You can't hide such things from me!"

Ruby shook her head fervently, then took Weiss by the wrist and marched away in the direction of the princess's room.

Blake's eyes stayed trained on the ground, her hoping Summer wouldn't notice her particular reaction to the accusation.

* * *

Yang stretched her arms above her head as she walked home. The moon was rising steadily on the sky, and she had begun to feel its influence already, playing at the back of her head, but she didn't have to worry about losing control for two days still.

However, she had more to worry about than her inevitable week of nightly raging and destruction. She was slightly anxious about the notion of Ruby meeting with her mother everyday now. It wasn't that she disliked Summer, quite the contrary… But she feared her sister would grow too fond of someone who had been absent for ten years. Who knew what disappointments Summer held secret from her daughter.

Not only that, but Blake was going to Vale Castle along with her. Of all places for an escaped slave to go… She had met Blake only barely a month ago, but she already cared a great deal about the girl. If some nasty noble got their hands on her… Yang didn't know if she would be able to contain her fury.

Lastly, and most certainly least, Sun was missing. He had the annoying habit of showing up during Yang's work hours, begging for food, but ever since the day of Weiss's visit, he hadn't appeared.

Oh well. He was probably stuck in some hole or another.

Yang finally saw her house in the distance, so she shook her head, as if to forget about all those worries. She couldn't be a good sister if it she let her fears be apparent.

"Hey," she said as she entered. "Anybody home?"

"Yang!" Ruby yelled happily, almost tackling her to the ground.

"Hi." Blake spoke much more quietly, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

Ruby hopped back from the hug, giving Yang the opportunity to look at her. For once, the younger sister wasn't wearing her black and red leather uniform. Instead, she wore a silk dress that dragged slightly on the ground. Its red color was a few shades darker than Ruby's own hair.

"Wow!" Yang exclaimed. "You're looking great, Ruby!"

"Thank you!" The redhead spun around briefly. "Mom gave it to me to use at the dance. She had me bring a dress for you, too! It's right over there!"

Ruby pointed to a desk that was unusually organized for their standards. Yang wandered over to it and found two dresses folded neatly. She hesitantly took the one she assumed was hers and laid it out before her. Normally, she abhorred getting any kind of charity, but the sight of the dress had her eyes twinkling like stars.

"Oh, I have to try it on _right now_!" She yelled decisively.

Blake covered her eyes immediately, knowing very well what was to come next. Ruby nodded approvingly, then turned to face a wall.

A minute passed before Yang exclaimed happily. Blake's fingers parted cautiously. To her relief, Yang was already clad in a nice, frilly yellow dress.

"Don't say it! I already know it!" Yang tittered. "I could pose as a queen in this damn dress!"

"Until you opened your mouth, that is," Ruby muttered, then smiled widely. "You look gorgeous, sister!"

"Thank you!" The blonde laughed. "I can't wait to thank Summer too. This is too good of a gift…" She looked at the last folded dress at the desk. "And whose dress is that?"

"That's Blake's," Ruby sighed. "She refuses to try it on."

The faunus nodded firmly and crossed her arms. Ruby looked at her sister, begging for help, but Yang only smiled kindly.

"If Blake wants to wait, then she can wait," Yang granted, much to Blake's happiness. "If it comes down to it, we can force her to do it at the last moment."

Blake's expression immediately changed to one of dismay. Yang chuckled, then proceeded to spin joyfully, appreciating the unexpected gift.

* * *

"You know, you don't _have to_ do this for me, Pyrrha."

Jaune turned his head to look inquisitively at his companion as they walked to Vale Castle's main saloon. He was dressed in his usual guard uniform, armed with his sword and shield. To his dismay, she was as ready for combat as he was – in fact, even _more_ than him. Neither of them would blend in at a formal dance.

"Jaune, it's very sweet of you to insist on the matter, _but_ ," the redhead smiled anxiously. "I have a bad feeling about this night. If something bad happens, I want to be ready to fight… Besides, I'm not really the dancing type."

"You aren't?" Jaune scratched the back of his head. "That's surprising."

"Is it, really? I've been a soldier all my life," Pyrrha noted, her eyebrows rising ever so lightly at him. "What about you, Mister Arc? How fleeting are your feet?"

"…They're, uh… fairly fleeting? I can dance."

Now it was her turn to be surprised. Not necessarily because of what he claimed – there was nothing to suggest he was a _bad_ dancer… No, what surprised her was the fact that he wasn't hesitant to say it. Usually, he was rather modest, if not self-loathing and nervous.

"Well, then. If the night comes to an end without any danger presenting itself…" Pyrrha blushed. "Perhaps you could teach me how to dance."

"Oh. Uhm… Sure," Jaune looked away nervously. "That would be nice."

"That's a promise?"

"Yes. Of course…"

The two arrived at the saloon, but instead of entering and mingling with the nobles that were already there, they stayed near the open doors, watching vigilantly.

Jaune cast her a discreet look. He really couldn't wrap his mind around her not wanting to mingle with the nobles. She was a foreign guest in the castle, and no one would turn her away. Did she _not_ like dancing, or parties? Every female guard had been complaining over the last week about not being allowed to participate…

Pyrrha had told him about what she had seen at the walls… A Grimm, larger than most. He already feared the simpler Beowolves… A Death Stalker? That was the stuff of nightmares.

Perhaps that was why she was so sure things would go bad soon.

Jaune was shaken out of his thoughts by a sharp, but yet familiar yell.

"Hey, Jaune!" Ruby appeared in front of him, wearing a silk red dress. In an almost comical fashion, she still had her sword and pistol in a belt around her hip.

"Ruby. You're looking great!" Jaune said honestly, flashing her a wide smile. "Though the weapons clash a bit with the dress."

"Yeah, I know. But a job's a job," she shrugged, then turned to look at Pyrrha. "Hello, Pyrrha! I mean, Lady Nikos. Lady Pyrrha. Lady… Pyrrha Nikos?"

"Pyrrha is just fine," the mistralian giggled. "Jaune's right. You look stunning."

Jaune's eyes widened. The two girls' conversation went on, but he tuned it out, mind fixed on one particular detail. _Lady_ Nikos? Was Pyrrha… A noblewoman?

"Ruby!" Another voice reached his ears, breaking him out of his stupor. "How many times do I have to tell you… Stay _near_ me!"

As Ruby turned around, her face deathly pale, Jaune tried to find the source of the voice. It didn't take long for a white-haired girl in a blue dress to approach them. She didn't look pleased at all.

"I-I'm sorry!" Ruby whimpered. "I just got excited. It won't happen again!"

"It better not," the white-haired girl glared at her for a moment, then turned to look at Pyrrha. "It is a pleasure to see you, Lady Nikos."

Pyrrha smiled and bowed slightly. The stranger's sight fixed on Jaune, her eyes narrowing slightly, as if she were trying to remember who he was.

"Ruby?" Jaune whispered nervously, edging towards his trusted friend. "Is she… your friend? Your, uh… girlie?"

"Girlie?!" The white-haired girl repeated sharply. "How _dare_ you! I am not anyone's girlie, and much less _Ruby's_!"

"Oh! Oh! I'm so, so sorry!" Jaune shook his hands fervently.

Ruby wasn't in a fit state to correct him. Not only was she embarrassed by Jaune's suggestion, but also a bit flustered by Weiss's immediate reaction. So Pyrrha took upon herself to help him.

"This, Jaune, is the princess heir, Weiss Schnee." She informed slowly.

Jaune's eyes widened as he stared at the princess.

"You…" Weiss took a deep breath. "No. I won't even bother to learn your name. Let's go, Ruby."

The princess turned and strutted inside the saloon. Ruby smiled apologetically to Jaune, then followed her liege silently, one hand hovering near her pistol.

"Jaune," Pyrrha sighed. "Did you _never_ see the princess before this day?"

"Maybe… Maybe I did and just didn't know who she was?" Jaune defended himself, feeling pathetic and humiliated.

Pyrrha shook her head and looked away, hiding a shining smile from his sight.

* * *

To Ruby's relief, the princess's anger didn't take too long to fade after the encounter with Jaune and Lady Nikos. Weiss seemed comfortable in the noble-crowded saloon. Mingling and conversing was second nature to her… And not so much to Ruby.

Luckily, Summer joined them soon enough, which was a great comfort to Ruby while the princess talked with men and women she had never even seen before in her life. Summer was wearing a dress much like her daughter's, except it was, of course, fit for a more mature woman.

"I assume you've never been to an event like this one before, dear," Summer commented after a while. "What do you think of it?"

"It's…" Ruby gulped. She couldn't bring herself to lie about it. "Unnerving?"

"Ah, of course. I used to feel the same way," the Reaper smiled. "But I grew accustomed to it."

"I guess you had to participate when you became a noblewoman, right?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, but I had been to noble gatherings like these before, when I was much younger," Summer winked to her. "Of course, none of the nobles knew they had a rebel right in their midst."

Ruby covered her mouth with her hands to contain her laughter. She doubted Weiss would find the quip as funny as she had.

As they moved through the saloon, Ruby became more and more worried about her sister and Blake. Yang had promised she would bring the faunus to the dance, if she had to use sheer force… But what if that had crossed some line? What if Blake had run away? If that were the case, Ruby would blame herself for the rest of her life.

Her mother tapped her on the shoulder, then pointed at the direction of the main door.

"Look who's finally here," Summer's voice was filled with mirth. "Oh, she looks just like Raven…"

Yang smiled widely and strode towards them, drawing as much attention from her new dress as from the way she bumped every noble on her path. Ruby laughed nervously as she noticed Weiss tense up beside her.

"Hello, ladies!" Yang exclaimed cheerfully. "Ruby! Nice to see ya. Summer! This… this dress! I can't thank you enough!"

"There's no need for that," Summer smiled. "You're my daughter in all but blood."

Yang seemed taken aback by the sudden declaration. For the first time in years, she was at a loss for words. In an effort to find a way out, her eyes settled on the princess, and a smile appeared between her lips.

"Hello, _Weiss_ ," the blonde put a hand on her hip. "Pleased to see me?"

 _No_. "I didn't expect to see you here… Yang," Weiss forced herself to smile. "It's… a _pleasure_ …"

"I know," Yang wiggled her eyebrows. "You can't seem to take your eyes off me."

The princess took in a deep breath and counted to ten several times in her head.

Ruby looked around confusedly, panic creeping into her features.

"Wait… Where's-"

"Hi."

Blake caught up to them, her head bowed slightly, as if she feared she might receive a blow from behind at any given time. Her dress was as black as her hair, but contrasted richly with her pale skin. Her amber eyes looked up shyly, meeting with Ruby's first.

"I… Uh… Uh…" Ruby stammered. "Hi."

"Hi." Blake repeated, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice.

"Hi."

Yang looked between the two of them confusedly for a few seconds, before realization dawned upon her. Her jaw dropped, but she held back from speaking her thoughts aloud.

"I managed to get her to come," the blonde said, proud both of her feat and of her self-control. "And she even put the dress on all by herself."

"It's not funny," Blake grumbled. "I wasn't as excited about this as you were, alright?"

"Sorry." Yang raised her hands peacefully.

Weiss nodded approvingly as she examined Blake's appearance.

"I must say, Blake," she said. "You look splendid," her eyes narrowed on Yang. " _Much_ better than Yang, even."

" _Excuse_ me?!" Yang exclaimed, then turned briefly to pat Blake on the shoulder. "No offense meant, of course, but," she turned back to Weiss. " _Excuse_ me?!"

Weiss smiled much too devilishly for a princess and went to talk to another noble. Ruby followed dutifully, along with the growing entourage.

After a some more minutes of that, the crowd grew quiet as a large group passed by the doorway. First came a dozen faunus, their heads low and obedient, then some select noblemen and women, and finally, the Queen herself.

More than a few gasps echoed through the saloon as she stepped towards its center. Her white dress seemed to give off a faint glow, as if it were made of reflective crystal shards. A few of the nobles recognized it as a dress that had once belong to her late mother.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my greetings," she spoke solemnly. "We gather here today to dance not only in joy, but in humility and gratitude. Humility, for we know we are not the greatest beings in this land; and gratitude, for It who showed us mercy when we once didn't have that humility."

Yang snickered quietly. On the corner of her vision, Ruby saw her mother smirking too, as if she also found the speech amusing.

"This night, we shall remember the shattering of the Moon," Winter continued. "And let us not forget for the next week, and until many, many weeks."

A wave of murmurs spread through the saloon as the nobles uttered their prayers collectively. Blake looked at Ruby inquisitively, but the redhead only shrugged. She wasn't particularly devoted, either.

"It is tradition that the King and Queen of Vale should lead the first dance," Winter spoke. "This is, unfortunately, not possible this year. I have no King, and have yet to find a suitable candidate. I will, then, choose amongst my most dear and trusted…"

Her eyes scanned through the crowd, as if she were testing every single person in the room. Ruby shared a baffled look with her sister once they noticed Summer was shuffling her feet anxiously, and not so subtly at that.

"General Ozpin," Winter's lips curved into a smile. "If you might step forward."

Summer's face turned red, and for a scary moment, Ruby thought she might shout furiously at the Queen. However, the Reaper seemed to notice her daughter's curious stare, and, just like that, she was all smiles and giggles.

"Oh, well," Summer said quietly. "There's always next year."

Ruby giggled and looked at Weiss, and almost burst into complete laughter. The princess hadn't missed Summer's indiscretion either, but she seemed mortified.

Ozpin broke from the crowd and neared the Queen, leaving his cane behind. He smiled to her, and she did her best to respond, though teeth had yet to be shown by her. Their hands interlaced, and as the musicians started again, they settled into a slow, methodical dance.

Other pairs started to form and join the dance, and the faunus started to move around the saloon, offering food and drinks.

"Hey, Weiss," Yang spoke suddenly. "How would you like to dance with me?"

The princess's face underwent many conflicting expressions. On one hand, she wanted to reject the offer immediately and absolutely… But she had been raised to be courteous and accepting of any offer, no matter how undesirable.

"I would be glad to," Weiss finally decided, smiling perfectly.

Yang blinked. She hadn't expected that answer at all. Her only intention had been to annoy the princess… Well, she supposed she had an even opportunity to do that now.

As her sister took Weiss's wrist and dragged her away, Ruby turned to look at her mother.

"I have no clue how to dance." She revealed, with the finality of someone who had prophesized the end of the world.

"Don't worry," Summer chuckled. "I'll teach you."

She took her daughter's hand and pulled her towards the center of the saloon, spinning her playfully under her arm.

Blake stayed behind, head low, feeling like an ant amidst giants.

* * *

Emerald's eyes flickered open, narrowing angrily at the darkness of her cell. A few minute ago, she had thought she had heard a few scarce notes of music, but now she _knew_ they were real. Not only that, but they were much, much louder.

"Fucking nobles," she muttered under her breath.

Slowly, her anger turned to relief and glee. She knew what the occasion meant for her. It wouldn't be long before the nobles were cursing the music instead of dancing to it.

After a few minutes, she heard the jingling of a key chain, and suddenly the door of the dungeon swung open, flooding it with light. Emerald covered her eyes with a hand, but still saw a familiar shadow appearing on the floor in front of her.

"Hello," he chuckled. "It's about damn time, right?"

"You're telling _me_?" Emerald grunted and tried to get up. "Just get me out of this cell."

"Don't worry," he shook the keys he held in his right hand. "A little gift from our patron. Don't forget…"

"I know, I know…"

She shook her head violently, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating for a brief moment. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Ozpin, who smiled and leaned his cane on his right shoulder.

"Let's get you out of this castle, dear."

* * *

Time seemed to pass by like a blur. The saloon was filled with the charming color of hundreds of dresses as the nobles danced. Only a select few didn't participate so enthusiastically, though they were more than happy to digest whatever the faunus offered to them.

After a few hours, the effects of the drinks were becoming visible as the dancer's steps fumbled occasionally, and laughter echoed through the crowd much too loudly. But Summer refused to indulge herself in a similar fashion. Her eyes stayed sharp as she took on different dancing guests, though she paid virtually no attention to most of them.

Her interest peaked when she finally found the Queen had approached her gradually as she switched partners. The Reaper looked at her own partner and spoke a simple phrase, and he left silently.

"Might I borrow the Queen for a moment?" She asked innocently.

Winter nodded respectfully to her partner, then walked gracefully to Summer. The redhead smiled and put one hand at the Queen's hip, the other wrapping around an arm.

"My feelings are hurt," Summer muttered, faking a pout. "You chose the General over me."

"You hold yourself too highly," Winter noted, her face a mask of royal indifference. "Were you not satisfied the previous year, or the one before?"

"I want to be chosen _every_ year."

The Queen hummed, one eyebrow rising slightly.

"Watch your words, Reaper," she warned. "One might mistake your pettiness for greed."

"Pettiness? You wound me," Summer frowned. "I truly love you, Winter."

Winter's only reply was an unreadable stare. After a minute, she parted from Summer – much sooner than she had with her other partners.

"I hope you have a pleasant night, Lady Rose."

Summer watched dejectedly as the Queen disappeared amongst the crowd, her silver eyes sparking with frustration. She held back a string of unseemly words and looked around, searching for something to distract her. It didn't take her long to find Yang, who was busy drinking something fancy from a full glass.

"I see the princess has escaped your grasp." Summer noted as she approached her adoptive daughter.

"I didn't make it easy, either," Yang smiled cheekily. "And the queen escaped yours."

"Royals," the redhead shrugged, taking a glass from a passing faunus. She took a long sip, then sighed. "Ruby seems to be enjoying herself."

Yang nodded, looking towards where her sister was dancing with Weiss. The princess's expression was hilarious – she seemed conflicted between enjoying the dance and repudiating her partner's excitement.

"I don't suppose she has any… _interest_ in the princess?" Summer asked warily.

"Oh, no. Ruby wouldn't dare even _imagine_ anything happening between her and Weiss, I'm sure," Yang chuckled. "Good for her. She deserves better."

"You judge the princess too harshly," Summer said. "She might seem cold at first, but she is a good person."

"Wow," the blonde frowned. "You _really_ don't sound like a rebel."

Summer spun her glass absent-mindedly. Yang observed her quietly, wondering if she had said something wrong.

"I've put my past behind me, Yang," Summer said after a few minutes. "Though I haven't forgotten my companions – my loved friends. You remind me of your mother."

"Hmm," Yang looked away. "I haven't ever thought about her much."

"Raven was… peculiar," the Reaper turned to stare at Yang. "The Moon will be affecting you greatly the following week. Tell me, have you mastered your powers yet?"

"Mastered my powers?" Yang repeated dubiously. "No, I haven't. And I don't plan to."

"You should, or they'll be only a burden to you. You could do amazing things with them… Feats you cannot even imagine."

Yang stayed silent. It bothered her that Summer talked so bluntly about something she should have _no idea_ about… But maybe she did? Raven, her mother, had been Summer's best friend, one of the only people she had truly trusted during her rebellious years. Perhaps Summer did understand Yang's natures better than she herself did.

Her thoughts where interrupted by her sister's sudden approach. Ruby's eyes were darting in every direction, a bit of sweat running down her forehead, as if she were about to have a panic attack.

"Sister?" Yang asked worriedly. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I…" Ruby paused. "Have you seen Blake?"

"Blake? She was right over- Oh."

Yang froze as she looked to the side. Blake had been standing there at least ten minutes ago, quiet, but not so much that the blonde had had any reason to worry.

"Alright. Ruby, don't panic," Yang said softly, putting her hands on her sister's shoulders. "We can find her. She's probably just lost in the crowd."

"No! She's not dumb!" Ruby's eyes darted nervously towards her mother, then back to Yang. She gritted her teeth, lowering her voice. "What if someone found out? What if they took her?"

"That's a stretch," Yang took a deep breath. "Look. Go search for her, alright? You know the castle much better than I do. I'll guard the princess for you."

"I see at least _one_ flaw in that plan." Summer spoke up amusedly.

"Don't worry. If Weiss complains, I'll just shove a glass of wine down her throat," Yang growled. "Go, Ruby!"

The young redhead nodded and walked away hurriedly, weaving around the dancing nobles. Yang shook her head worriedly and made her way closer to the princess, who thankfully was too concentrated on her dancing to notice the unexpected substitution of her bodyguard.

Summer hummed mutely, her eyes turned in the direction her daughter had left in. A runaway faunus in the middle of a noble festival… She hadn't expected that at all.

It would certainly make things… interesting.

* * *

She hadn't meant to run. The environment at the dance had been uncomfortable, to say the least. It had been unnerving to be so close to so many bluebloods… She knew that one slip-up, and she'd become a lord's slave again, or worse. Not only that… It would also mean almost certain execution for Ruby and Yang.

But she had steeled herself. Blake knew that enduring the experience would make her stronger, wiser… If she could stand before a smiling noble, eyes unflinching, and smile right back… Nothing else could ever make her afraid.

And then a faunus had approached her, offering a glass of wine to her. She had long, soft rabbit ears, and big brown eyes that stared at her pleadingly. Blake had frozen, unable to breath, and without a word of explanation, she had turned and marched away, breaking into a run as soon as she was out of the saloon.

Unfortunately, she didn't how to navigate the castle by herself, and the lack of daylight only added to her uneasiness. She raced for the first place with an open view to the sky and fell to her knees in soft grass, her chest heaving, letting out strangled gasps.

Those eyes. Those brown eyes, silently begging meaninglessly… She knew that stare, the stare of a slave that knew no one would answer to her plea, but who tried anyway.

And she had turned away like a coward.

Tears pooled in her eyes. She was angry at her friends for convincing her to attend the dance. She was angry at all the nobles, dancing away as if they weren't responsible for so much cruelty and pain.

Most of all, she was angry at herself. She might be free, but she still felt like a slave.

"Blake?"

The faunus's heartbeat stilled for a full second as she heard Ruby's voice nearing her. Blake held her breath and bowed low, hoping that the redhead would pass by without noticing her.

"Blake? I can see you. Are you… well…?"

"Stay away." Blake grunted.

"Aw, Blake," Ruby's voice was right above her now. "Just talk to me. Please?"

Blake looked up slowly, vision blurred by her tears. She wiped her eyes and saw Ruby standing in front of her, the moon's soft light shining behind her. The redhead's silver eyes seemed to glow in the dark.

"I'm pathetic," Blake muttered. "You must think I'm a fool."

"Not really," Ruby said kindly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone."

"It's not your fault. You have to guard the princess, first of all."

"Well, I care more about you than about the princess. I'm really sorry."

Ruby sat beside her, laying her sword in front of her. She looked around curiously, a slight smile forming on her lips.

"This is the royal garden," she said. "It's filled with all kinds of flowers. There's even _roses_ here. Heh."

Blake couldn't help but smile at the quip.

"Why did you run, Blake?" Ruby asked seriously.

"I don't know. I was fine… Sure, it was… bad, seeing so many nobles at one place, and being in the middle of them. But I was handling it," Blake's hand clutched the grass beneath her, her eyes narrowing with anger. "But the faunus. _Slaves_. Nobody casts a second look at them. They spit on their backs. I just… I can't take it."

"W-well," Ruby gulped. "Not _everyone_ here is like that. I mean, some people like the faunus. And I'm sure some of them would fight to free them, if it didn't mean… execution," she looked down. "I wish _I_ could do it."

Blake jumped to her feet, fists clenched. Ruby tensed involuntarily. She had never seen Blake like this, not even the first time they'd met. When Ruby found her at the back of her house, Blake had tried to fight, but had been obviously scared.

There was no hint of that now. Blake had murder in her eyes. Ruby was glad she hadn't brought her daggers with her.

"I don't get it!" The faunus said, barely holding herself from screaming. "What did I do to deserve this treatment? What did _any_ of us do? Just because we were born different… We're treated like animals…" She pointed to the top of the castle. "And they _dare_ to keep their heads high?! They're no better – no, they're worse! _They_ are animals!"

"Blake," Ruby tried to interrupt her, worried that someone would hear and come check the garden. "You might want to lower your voice…?"

Blake closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"They don't deserve the life they have," she said, voice heavy with emotion. "I wonder what would become of them… If we took away all they have. Their gold, their land, their precious surnames… Maybe then they would realize they are no different than the people they slave."

Blake turned, adrenaline pumping through her body. She felt like she might burst at any moment. So many emotions flooded her at once – anger, sadness, despair.

Ruby waited a moment, then silently approached her friend and hugged her from behind.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Blake."

The faunus looked over her shoulder and saw tears clouding Ruby's eyes. At once, Blake spun and held the girl by her shoulders.

"I don't mean you, Ruby," she whispered. "You're… good. You and Yang. Without you two, I don't think I could keep on living."

"Don't say things like that, Blake!" Ruby whimpered. "It doesn't sound good at all."

"I'm sorry. But it's true."

Ruby took a step back and wiped away her tears.

"You know, if you gave that speech to other people… Maybe they would see your way," she said. "I'm sure Weiss would. My mother too."

"Your mother? Sure," Blake frowned. "Not the princess. I prefer my head attached to my neck… But maybe someday…"

Ruby smiled at little, sensing a bit of hope creeping into the faunus's voice.

"About that surname thing… It's not a noble custom, actually," she stated. "Well, not anymore, at least. It used to be. But now a lot of commoners take surnames too."

"Really?" Blake asked curiously. "I suppose it makes sense. It's not as if there's an official record, and someone may just make one up on the spot."

"Exactly," Ruby chuckled. "I'm pretty sure my mother and all her friends did something like that. Something along the lines of _rising up to the tyrants' levels_ ," she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You could do the same."

"Me?" Blake shook her head. "I wouldn't be able to come up with anything good."

Ruby's face lit up, and she looked around the garden eagerly. Blake stood by as the redhead darted around the place, oblivious to what was going through her friend's head.

It didn't take long for Ruby to return. She lifted her right hand, holding a flower with purple-colored petals in front of Blake's face.

"How about _Belladonna_?" She asked, almost giggling. "It's perfect! You can be Blake Belladonna, and I'll be Ruby Rose!"

"That's… pretty good," Blake smiled. "Thank you."

Ruby nodded and leaned forward slightly, fixing the flower on the brunette's hair, much to her surprise. Blake felt her face burn up, hoping that Ruby wouldn't notice in the night.

"Do you want to go back?" Ruby asked kindly. "Or I could take you back home, if you want."

"No. I'm not going to run away again," Blake decided firmly, then smiled knowingly. "Besides, the princess is probably-"

She paused, her eyes narrowing on something behind Ruby. The redhead turned to follow her line of sight, but she saw only darkness.

"There's someone… No, two people running there. They've got weapons," Blake's face paled. "I think one of them is… Emerald?"

"What?" Ruby picked her sword up. "Stay there!"

"No! You need my help," Blake whispered. "I can see in the dark much better than you can."

Ruby decided that it was to better to just go than to argue. She ran towards the darkness, passing through bushes of royal flowers, Blake following close behind her. Sometimes, Ruby saw momentary glimpses of the criminals, illuminated by the moonlight, but they were gone before she could get a proper look on them.

"There!" Blake exclaimed. "They're going up to the roof!"

Ruby nodded and jumped, years of intense training allowing her to close the gap between where she was and the neared tiled roof. Now that she was higher up, she could clearly see her targets. One of them was, indeed, Emerald. The other…

"General?!" She yelled. "General Ozpin?!"

The pair turned to look at her, startled by the sudden appearance. Before long, though, Ozpin seemed to regain his senses and raised an arm, revealing a pistol. Ruby dove to the side, dodging the round preemptively.

"Go!" Emerald screamed. "I'll distract her! Don't argue, you know it's better this way!"

Ozpin hesitated for a moment, then ran off on top of the castle, making his way to the city. Ruby jumped to the section where Emerald was standing, and saw the criminal had retrieved her dual knifes before making her escape.

"Just put your weapons down," Ruby spoke calmly. "I don't want to hurt you. Just let me take you back to your cell."

"Oh, alright," Emerald smiled. "Sorry for the inconvenience."

The redhead's mouth hung open, the response surprising her. Emerald took the opportunity to dash at her, swinging a knife towards her chest. Ruby focused quickly enough to avoid the attack by sidestepping, then used the momentum of the movement to bring her sword down diagonally.

Emerald ducked gracefully beneath the blade and slid back, a cocky smile on her lips. She paused momentarily, then dashed forward recklessly. Ruby braced herself, not wanting to do what she had to, but having no other choice – either she struck first, or she was done for.

Ruby trusted her sword in front of her, expecting a wave of blood to splash her entire body… But instead, she stumbled forward, losing balance as no resistance was met. Her eyes widened with confusion. Emerald was nowhere to be seen, she had simply _vanished_.

The noise of tiles cracking sounded behind her, and Ruby spun around, just in time to dodge an attack that would have pierced her through the back and killed her immediately. Instead, Emerald's knife sunk into her right shoulder and took both of the women down onto the hard roof. Ruby's sword bounced away loudly.

"You…" Emerald growled. "Damn you!"

She swung her other knife towards Ruby's head, but the redhead rolled to the side, blood pouring out of her shoulder. Hurriedly, she got up, only to notice she was right at the edge of the roof.

Emerald exclaimed victoriously and threw a knife at her. Ruby reached for her pistol quickly and raised it, managing to deflect the flying projectile with her own weapon. Then, as she hung precariously, she took careful aim and pulled the trigger.

The bullet raced through the air and hit Emerald right in her left thigh, not coming out at the other side. Ruby fell from the roof, knocked back by the recoil of her pistol.

Emerald gritted her teeth and turned, limping away hurriedly. Her leg was injured, but she knew the annoying bodyguard wouldn't be able to chase her because of her own wounds. But didn't manage more than a dozen steps before someone punched her at the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.

Blake towered over the fallen criminal, her teeth fixed into a feral snarl.

"Got you."

* * *

Winter's steps echoed through the halls of the castle as she strode towards the dungeons, still clad in her royal dress. Weiss followed her close behind. Unfortunately, both had had to hold off dealing with the failed escape, as they were expected at the dance until late.

The guards opened the door without even needing to hear orders, and the queen and princess entered the prison. Emerald was inside her cell, her leg being taken care of by the royal doctor, Bartholomew Oobleck. Ozpin was watching her attentively – his glare could have cut through metal.

While the queen immediately joined the general, Weiss made her way to Ruby, who was sitting on a bench, her shoulder wrapped in bandages. Summer, Yang and Blake surrounded her, as if to form a protective circle around her.

"Ruby!" The princess exclaimed. "What in the Dragon's name happened?!"

"I stopped Emerald from escaping," Ruby explained meekly, then nodded towards Blake. "Well, I shot her in the leg. Blake knocked her out after I fell off the roof."

"Oh," Weiss blinked. "Are you injured?"

Ruby smiled and nodded. The princess had put odd priorities to her questions, but at least she had asked all the right ones.

"Well, I can't be mad at you for leaving your post if it means you avoided a major crisis for the kingdom," Weiss said tiredly. "Why did you leave, exactly?"

"Uh…" Ruby gulped. She couldn't tell the truth… Well, not the _entire_ truth. "I went to the garden with Blake."

"You… Left your post for…" The princess gave up midway through her sentence. She didn't have the energy to argue with her bodyguard anymore. "Good job. And that's meant for you too, Blake."

The faunus smiled slightly to the princess, then looked at Ruby. The redhead tilted her head, as if to prove a point to her friend.

Ozpin joined then solemnly, holding his cane anxiously in both of his hands.

"Well, you two just did the kingdom a massive favor," he sighed. "I can't believe this happened. It's my responsibility to keep the prisoners in constant watch."

"Have you any idea about how she managed to escape?" Summer asked.

"I don't," Ozpin shook his head. "No bodies were found, so we know that no guards were murdered in the process. I will find the ones who were on duty during the dance and interrogate them tomorrow."

Summer nodded, then looked worriedly at her daughter. The queen joined their circle silently, casting a critical eye on the young redhead too.

"You said there was another person involved in the escape, right?" Summer asked. "Who was it?"

Ruby eyes wandered to Ozpin, her heart beating fast in her chest. He had shot at her? But… That was simply impossible. Ozpin had run away first, but when she and Blake took Emerald to the guards, Ozpin appeared in a matter of minutes. There was simply no way he could have exited the castle, returned to the dance, and then appeared to deal with the situation.

Not only was the timeline of the happenings too tight, but he also didn't look tired at all.

"I don't know," Ruby said hesitantly. "It was a man. That much I could tell."

"Right," Summer prodded. "What else? How did he look?"

"He… He was tall. And…"

Her voice caught in her throat. There was no way out of the situation, and her mother seemed to grow more impatient by the second.

"I don't think Ruby can answer your questions right now," Blake intervened. "She's exhausted, and she took a knife to the shoulder."

Summer blinked, then smiled kindly.

"Blake's right. I'm sorry, dear," she rubbed her daughter's shoulder comfortingly. "I don't suppose you know anything, Blake?"

"I'm afraid not," the faunus answered calmly. "Ruby spotted them first. I can't run half as fast as she can. By the time I caught up, the stranger was gone, and Ruby was already down. I was lucky to catch Emerald in time."

"For an untrained individual, it was still an impressive feat," Winter spoke regally. "You might want to consider joining the Guard. We need more soldiers of your caliber, Blake…"

The faunus stared at her, momentarily stunned. Then she smiled and touched the flower on her hair.

"Blake Belladonna, my queen."

Winter nodded respectfully, then made for the exit, signaling for Ozpin to follow her. Summer watched them go silently, but stayed with the young ones.

"Blake Belladonna?" Yang asked. "When did _that_ happen?"

"Yes," Weiss agreed curiously. "I thought you had no surname."

"Well, it's not like it's a crime to make one up." Blake said bashfully.

The princess seemed to consider the statement for a moment before deciding there was nothing wrong with it.

"Uhm…" Ruby spoke. "Can I go now? I think I'm gonna faint from exhaustion."

"Sure," Summer smiled. "You can sleep in my room tonight. No need to walk all the way home."

Her daughter's eyes lit up with happiness, and, to everyone's surprise, she jumped up and clung to her mother's body like a child. Summer stared at her for a moment, not knowing how to react, before shrugging.

"Alright, dear," she chuckled. "I _guess_ I can carry you there, but this is a one-time deal. You're not a child anymore."

She waited for a frustrated reply, but instead, Ruby snored loudly, her eyes closed already.

"That's a joke, right?" Weiss asked. "She's sixteen years old."

"Oh, Weiss, haven't you learned anything?" Yang snickered. "Ruby will always be a child at heart."

* * *

Long after midnight, the nobles trickled out of the saloon, headed for their quarters at the castle or their states in the city. Pyrrha watched them go by anxiously, knowing that some might recognize her and wonder why she hadn't attended the event fully.

When everyone was gone, she looked to the other side of the door, where Jaune was standing. Their eyes met, and, as expected, Jaune started to show signs of massive panic.

"So," she spoke teasingly. "Want to dance, my knight?"

"I…" Jaune stammered. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Pyrrha giggled and walked towards him. When she stopped in front of him, though, Jaune took a step backwards, which worried her greatly. It was one thing to be nervous, but this was… something else.

"Jaune," she crossed her arms. "You're not going back on that promise."

"I'm… really sorry, Py-" He paused, as if he had been about to make a huge mistake. "I really don't think that's a good idea. I… shouldn't dance with you."

"Why…" Pyrrha stopped herself, already piecing the reason together. "I see. It's because I'm a Lady. A noblewoman. Right?"

"…Yes."

Her fists shook with anger, but she closed her eyes and turned away.

"Fine," she said, maintain a composed tone of voice. "Have it your way. Good night, Jaune."

And with that, she walked away, eyes brimming with tears.

Jaune sighed and looked down at his sword, wondering if he had made the right decision.

* * *

 **This.  
**

 **Damn.**

 **Chapter.**

 **Holy crap, did this grow out of control. I seriously didn't expect this size AT ALL. Those were 8k words. Just so you have a grasp of what that means... That is _more_ than the _Falling Petals Burn Brighter_ EPILOGUE (which was 7.2k words). Wow.**

 **And, BY THE WAY, I still could have put some other stuff in if I wanted to. I was orignally going to have a more direct narrative of Ruby and Weiss dancing, but I trashed it as soon as I noticed how long the chapter would become. Also a potential Weiss and Summer dancing. And, MOST OF ALL, I had to postpone a MAJOR little point with HUGE minor implications to another chapter. (I actually forgot to put that in, and remembered it as I wrote this note. By then, there was just no way to insert it anywhere. Meh. It shouldn't be too much of a problem)**

 **Please. Send help. My fingers will fall off.**

 **Anyway. Enough whining about something I love doing.**

 **I am so, so happy you guys are enjoying this story. I was this concept would have received little atention, and that by now most readers would have lost interest. This doesn't seem to be the case, thankfully. So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for reading this! I promise to keep producing material of this standard! (And a little late every time, it seems, because THESE CHAPTERS ARE SO LONG OHMYGOSH AAAAAA-)**

 **So, yeah. Thanks. Bye-bye.**

 **-Zeroan**


	9. Breach

The day after Emerald's failed escape, Weiss decided to not train. With faceless assassins and doubtful allies all around, it was wiser to stay within the castle walls, particularly her room, where Ruby could protect her more easily.

For the same reason, Ruby insisted that Blake stay home, at least until things calmed downed somewhat. She wasn't a common sight in the castle, which might lead to questions better left unanswered.

Thankfully, being alone with the princess was not as uncomfortable as it had once been. Even though Weiss would never admit it, Ruby was fairly sure she was thought of as a friend now, or at least a companion. Orders and reprimands were still thrown around often, but there was a softer edge to them.

"If you don't stop pacing around this moment," the princess spoke, lifting her eyes from the book she was reading on her bed. "I will personally throw over my balcony."

"Sorry," Ruby gulped, halting in the middle of the room at once. "I'm just nervous."

"Nervous about what?" Weiss scoffed. "It's not like any assassin are going to invade this room, now, of all times. And if that happens, you're armed… And my rapier is right here."

The princess nodded slightly to the side of the bed, where her sword was resting, an arm's length away. Ruby nodded hesitantly, her eyes filled with guilt. Weiss looked at her intensely, figuring that assassins were indeed not the reason for her frenzied state of being.

"Ruby," she said slowly. "Do you have something to tell me?"

"I…" the redhead looked down. Her heart seemed to have risen to her throat, beating loud and fast. She wasn't sure talking was the best course of action, but she couldn't deny her liege's request – not only because of obligation, but also because Weiss was too perceptive to let the matter go. "I… actually saw who was with Emerald last night. I-I didn't tell everyone else because… I'm pretty sure something _weird_ is going on."

Weiss took the revelation calmly. She was sure Ruby was being honest… Her bodyguard wasn't the kind of person to withheld information for malicious intents.

"Alright," Weiss nodded. "You can tell me. I promise to not share this information… Unless it's of dire importance, that is."

Ruby faced away from the princess, her face filled with worry. The High General being a potential suspect of treason _should_ classify as information of dire importance.

"W-well…" She stuttered. "It _looked_ like general Ozpin."

A moment of silence passed.

"…Are you sure?" Weiss asked, deadly serious.

"Y-yes! Wait, _no_!" Ruby turned around, hands up in the air. "Princess, you know how strange this is. We both saw him when Emerald and her crew tried to kill you, but he was _gone_ the next moment, and then he knew nothing once we got back to the castle!" She edged closer to the bed. "A-and the same thing happened yesterday. Things happened _too fast_ for him to be involved in the escape."

"So you think it's a trick?" The princess's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps. But he has acted much too strangely recently. He goes to interrogate the prisoner so frequently, but never comes out with concrete answers. It's possible it's not a trick… Or it's _meant_ to be seen as a trick, so that less suspicion is cast on him once it's disproven."

Ruby stared at the princess helplessly. She followed that logic easily, but she couldn't force herself to put faith in it. She couldn't believe her mentor of ten years, the man who had taught her how to wield a sword and rescued her from certain death… Was a traitor and a murderer.

"Don't fret, Ruby," Weiss said, gesturing dismissively with her hand. "As I promised, I won't share this with anyone else… Even the queen. But if Ozpin does anything suspicious, no matter how insignificant it might seem, then I won't hesitate to put his loyalties into question."

"I understand," Ruby nodded heavily. "If that happens… I will be by your side, princess. I swear it."

Weiss's lips parted into a smile, but she lifted her book to conceal it.

* * *

"What I'm saying is," Summer's voice echoed firmly in the strategy room, keeping the attention of everyone at the table fixed on her. "We _need_ results, and that is something you've failed to produce. It's been a week since the princess's heir life was put at risk by an unknown band of assassins, one of which almost _escaped_ our custody, and yet we know nothing about them!"

Ozpin's expression didn't reflect any emotion, but she could tell he was affected by her accusation. Whether he was unhappy or amused was up in the air, though.

"Forgive me if I'm making unseemly assumptions, Lady Rose, but," he said calmly. "In your… _earlier_ years, didn't you ever stumble into a situation where you had to get information out of an unwilling individual? I thought you would understand, more than anyone else, how difficult that is," he smiled lightly. "Then again, rebels and generals have different approaches to an interrogation, don't they?"

"If you mean _torture_ ," Summer's voice dropped to a steady, yet somehow more threating level. "Then you're right. I had the decency to never resort to that. It was often the enemy who did it."

The room was filled by a wave of uneasy murmurs and gasps. Summer flinched, realizing she had made a costly error. Accusing nobles of torture, even as subtly as she had, while she was in the presence of a dozen or so, wasn't the wisest move she had ever pulled.

And all the while, she was very aware of Ozpin's widening smile. The usually serious general seemed to take an almost perverse joy out of her blunders.

"I suggest we go back to a more… appropriate discussion." Another noble said tensely.

Summer turned to look. The woman had light blond hair and equally bright green eyes. Her pale expression carried a sense of seriousness and finality. Of all nobles, except for Ozpin, Summer had always had most trouble with Glynda Goodwitch.

"While I'm sure we could spend the entirety of the afternoon throwing accusations at our General – who has proved himself in more than enough situations – and Lady Rose – who has done the same, perhaps with even less motivation to…" Glynda spoke calmly, eyes flickering between the two nobles. "I believe it's more important to focus on our current predicaments… The more treatable ones, that is."

"Well spoken, Lady Goodwitch," the queen joined in, casting a disapproving look at both Summer and Ozpin. "The season has proven itself harsher than expected. Crops are…"

Summer crossed her arms, blocking Winter's voice as she simmered in silence. Glynda angered her a great deal. While Ozpin was objectively a bigger problem, he was a much easier target, for he often responded to her taunts – almost as if he was comfortable with them. Glynda, however, was just to a fault, reprehending both her _and_ the General. It was hard to clash against such a lawful individual and not be treated as a joke.

The meeting went on for two more hours. They discussed the state of their food supplies, communication with the other kingdoms – Atlas had grown threateningly silent – and other topics. Ozpin announced Grimm at the walls were becoming more dangerous, as reported by the Lady Nikos, and that he had posted more soldiers there in response.

When they were done, the nobles shuffled out of the room, tired and dreading the rest of the long winter. Summer stared intently at Ozpin, still seated, and as he started to get up, she raised a hand.

"General," she spoke innocently. "Might I ask you a question?"

Winter's eyes rose from the papers she had been examining. The three were all that remained from the meeting. Ozpin leaned on his cane slightly, then nodded consentingly.

"Why did you not reunite me with my daughter?" Summer asked.

The room was heavy with silence. Ozpin's eyes wandered briefly to the queen, then back to Summer.

"You knew who she was. How many Roses exist in this world, general?" Summer pressed. "How many have red hair and silver eyes? How many have a sister from another mother?"

"I understand your point," Ozpin sighed. At first, Summer thought he was regretful, even ashamed… But soon she saw what he truly felt. Anger. Frustration. "It's true. I could have reunited you, and maybe I should have done so as soon as I knew. The truth is…" he turned and walked towards the door. "I thought Ruby was better off without you influencing her."

Summer's knuckles turned white as she gripped the table. She started to rise, but Winter halted her with one hand on her shoulder. The queen's eyes bore into her general's back, and soon he was gone from the room.

"I can't believe…" Summer's voice trembled with rage. "That bastard…"

"Ozpin is a peculiar man. He only wanted the best for your daughter," Winter said, unusually gentle. "Not that I agree with him. Children belong with their parents, no matter the circumstances."

"You are far too forgiving of his actions." The redhead stated firmly.

"He has proven himself valuable and trustworthy."

"Once upon a time," Summer interjected, staring at the queen intensely. "People change. More often than not, it can't be noticed until it's too late."

She rose from her seat and marched through the doorway. Winter shook her head slowly, a glint of sadness in her eyes.

* * *

"Man… What a shitty job."

Fox looked to the side, a little smirk on his lips. He didn't mind obeying the General's orders to watch the outer walls, but his partner… He hadn't seen Coco this unhappy since she had been denied a promotion… Three times.

Her frustration had been understandable, then.

"We've got assassins loose on the city, threatening the lives of our _most graceful_ rulers," Coco rolled her eyes. "And somehow we're stuck looking at a snowstorm."

"Hmm," Fox grunted, crossing his arms. "It sounds like you would rather do nothing at all. You got a bone to pick with the royals?"

"Nah," Coco chuckled. "I just thought something might _actually_ happen if we're at the castle."

Fox opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as he heard something behind him – feet clanging fast to the walls, along with the familiar slash of steel in the air. He turned his head to look, but found nothing.

Coco put a hand on her hips and looked at her companion, a concerned frown appearing on her forehead.

"You doing all right, Fox?" She asked softly.

"…Yes. Thought I'd heard something." He shrugged.

"Must be the cold rattling your brain," Coco said. "How about you go inside and warm yourself up for a while? I promise to scream if I see any scary Grimm."

"Right, because you're such a damsel."

Coco grinned and slapped his behind as he walked past her towards the guard tower to the left. He opened the door and entered, delving into darkness and leaving her sight.

Coco gripped her shotgun distractedly as she turned to look at the horizon again. For some reason, she had been having a weird, disturbing feeling since the two of them had arrived at their new posts… As if danger might strike at any second – and not because of Grimm, necessarily.

Well, at least with Fox inside, he would be safe. She liked being alive, but better to die alone than to watch her best friend suffer the same fate…

Coco sighed. She should definitely tell him these things. In the middle of winter, with the cold piercing flesh and bone, when the dearest thing one could have was a homely fireplace, it was easy to forget what truly mattered. Friendship, happiness, lo-

There was a loud _crunch_ behind her, and suddenly she was plummeting down to the floor, the back of her head stinging like hell and her ears buzzing deafeningly. Her nose smashed against stone, spraying blood everywhere, and then her eyes lolled up, consciousness slipping away…

* * *

Blake sat on her bed, one leg crossed over the other as she leaned against the wall behind her. Her eyes were fixed intently on her lap, where she held her twin daggers with a dirty rag. Ruby had made very clear that if she didn't take care of her weapons, they were one touch another from useless. One unfortunate clash, and they could break… Unless they were in good condition.

As she drenched the rag in oil and swiped the first blade, it struck her how strange of a road her life had taken. From slave to homeless to friend of the royal bodyguard to sparring partner of the princess herself… All in the span of a month – and that was putting it mildly.

She still held many fears from her past life, but she felt like she could move past them, with time. She wasn't the same defenseless, scared nobody she had once been. She might have always had a name, but only now did she feel like Blake Belladonna.

And she could even _read_ now. Such an intricate activity which she'd never even thought of before… If only Ruby and Yang had more books at home. She was fairly sure the sisters weren't such fond of reading as herself. The castle very likely had a library with hundreds, _thousands_ of books. She should ask the princess about it… As soon as she gathered the courage to.

"Hey, Blakey," Yang entered the house nonchalantly, tossing a small sack full of coins at a nearby table. "Getting greasy?"

"Hello," Blake looked up, vaguely amused. "What's that over there?"

"What? That?" The blonde looked at the sack, feeling a bit flustered at the situation. "That's… my pay. You know, because I… work at the bakery?"

"That's a lot of money." The faunus noted quietly.

"Well. Yes," Yang looked away. "I do work five days a week, from dawn to dusk."

Blake raised an eyebrow. She used to work seven days a week… Sometimes with no breaks. But that was hardly an appropriate topic, and she didn't mean to make Yang feel guilty.

"Maybe I should find a job for myself," she said. "Got any ideas?"

"Oh. If you want to…" Yang frowned. "I could talk to my boss. He might want a waitress…? That way I can keep an eye on you too."

Blake nodded slightly, not meeting her friend's eyes. She would prefer to work somewhere far from known people, but she understood Yang's worry.

She lifted her dagger up to her eye, inspecting it carefully for any scratches. Once she was satisfied, she put it down and started to clean the remaining one. Yang watched quietly, taking in how much Blake had changed.

"Aren't you a little early?" The faunus asked, interrupting her train of thought.

"A little," Yang sighed. "It's the week. I like to come home earlier these times, you know?"

"Oh," Blake stopped scrubbing. "That's sensible. Will Ruby be here to… lock you up?"

"Yeah," the blonde smirked. "Unless you want to do it. I don't mind – it's not like we're strangers or anything."

Blake returned to her work, staying silent. Yang watched for a few more minutes, her smile gaining a mischievous quality.

"You know, Blake," she said teasingly. "I don't know about Summer, but you have my blessing."

"What?" Blake asked, not looking up.

"You can be with Ruby if you want."

The dagger flew from the faunus's hands and went bouncing on the floor. Blake got up and walked to pick it up, all the while keeping her eyes trained forward, as if somehow she could pretend she hadn't heard what Yang had just said.

"Oh, that's so _precious_ ," the blonde gushed. "You're totally in love. There's no going back."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Blake said indifferently, sitting down on her bed and focusing on the dagger again.

" _Sure_ ," Yang laughed. "As you say, Lady Rose."

Blake scrubbed furiously, trying to hide her burning cheeks behind her dark hair.

* * *

Coco opened her eyes to a blurry mess of colors. She could feel something liquid and warm running down the back of her neck, and hard restraints on both of her wrists. She didn't know how, but now she was seated on a steel chair against a cold stone wall…

She blinked several times to clear her vision, then looked to the side. The faint light of a candle illuminated Fox, who was in a predicament exactly like hers. He was awake, and apparently had been for a long time, judging by the look of wariness he gave her.

"Where are we?" Coco whispered, trying to break the leather around her wrists. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. Got knocked out, didn't even see by whom," Fox shook his head slowly, making her stop her struggling. "We're on the watchtower. I haven't seen anyone else, but I heard screams."

"Damn," she closed her eyes. "Just when we get more people here, a massacre happens. How many were we? Twenty?"

"Yeah." Fox's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was heavy with sorrow.

A scream pierced through the air, followed by a low, drawn-out giggle. Coco tried to break free again, but halted her efforts as a door in front of them opened. A small feminine figure entered the tower, her hair a mixture of brown and… pink? She looked at the two helpless guards with similarly-colored eyes and a gleeful smile on her lips.

"You bastard!" Coco shouted. "What did you do to them?!"

"Who are you?" Fox asked gravely.

The murderous girl pointed at Coco, shook her finger playfully, then nodded vigorously to Fox. She retrieved a small notepad from her jacket and turned it to the first page, then showed it proudly to them.

"Neo?" Fox read, trying to maintain his composure despite the terrible situation. "Is that your name?"

The girl's smile widened and she nodded again.

"How nice of you," Coco said sarcastically. "I'm sure we can all be friends. You just have to free us from these restraints, and I'll personally give you a pat on the head."

Neo rolled her eyes, igniting Coco's rage even more. The female guard was suddenly taken aback, though, as a knife went flying through the air, burying itself on her chair, just above her right shoulder. Neo smiled at her, then waved another knife at her warningly.

"You don't have to do this," Fox said calmly. "I don't know what your motivations are, but surely you could let us go… Look the other way. Everyone who was posted here is already dead. What difference would two more soldiers make?"

Neo giggled, as if she were dealing with an adorable pet, and not two humans beings. A cold shiver ran down Coco's spine. The fact that their captor was mute, or just refused to speak a word, only added to the terror she felt.

"Look," Fox spoke again. "Do whatever you want to me. Tear my limbs from by body, one by one. I don't care. Just let her go."

"Fox!" Coco exclaimed. "Stop fucking talking like that! I would never allow you to sacrifice yourself!"

"I don't need your permission, Lady," he said, a humorless smile on his lips. "You just said you're not a damsel, and you're right. You've saved my ass more times than I can count. This is just repayment… And it's long due…"

"No! That's bull-"

Neo flickered her hand unceremoniously. Her knife crossed the air between her and the prisoners and pierced Fox right in the temple. His eyes dulled as blood trickled down his face… Despite the brutality of his death, there was a serenity engraved on that sight, as if he were content, somehow.

"No… No…" Coco muttered, her head hanging low. "You… You _MONSTER_!"

She threw herself forward, putting all her rage and strength in the effort of freeing herself, but all that happened was she went crashing to the ground, still stuck to the chair by her wrists and ankles.

"I'm going to kill you!" Coco roared, looking up at Neo's amused eyes. "Don't you grin at me! I'm gonna tear that smile right off your face!"

The small girl pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows, as if she approved her victim's threats. Coco tried to wiggle closer to her, desperate for any king of vengeance, but Neo simply stuck a foot out and held her in place by her shoulder.

"Just…" Coco whispered. "Just kill me too."

Neo walked away from her and to the lone candle in the room. She bent slightly and blew, immersing the tower in darkness. Another giggle rang in Coco's ears.

" _I don't want to kill you._ "

Neo slipped out the door, leaving Coco alone in the darkness.

The lone guard gritted her teeth, tears running down her cheeks, and smashed her forehead on the ground. Anger and sorrow overwhelmed her, leaving no room for reason. She could only try to find a way out, whether it meant breaking free from the chair… or ending her own life.

But before she could reach either of these goals, a low rumble shook her. Coco froze, feeling the tower reverberate… And then a hundreds roars and screeches rang through the air.

Her blood ran cold, and as she tried to get up, something struck the wall behind her. Fox went plummeting out the tower, strapped to his chair… And in came the face of a giant, elephant-like Grimm…

* * *

Ruby stayed a little overtime after the sun set down, just to make sure the princess was safe for as long as possible. She knew there were always guards near her at night, but that was… different. Ruby, for her part, knew she would feel safer under the protection of someone she knew than of strangers in armor.

When she exited Weiss's room, she noticed an influx of soldiers running through the hallways, as if something big was happening. The princess, still inside, looked over her bodyguard's shoulder and frowned.

"What on Remnant is happening this time?" She asked.

"I don't know," Ruby said worriedly. "It can't be another escape or assassination. Too many soldiers."

"Maybe an invasion? The White Fang?" Weiss's hand instinctively shot towards Ruby's arm, but she stopped and composed herself before finishing the action.

"We should find out," the redhead muttered. "Let's go to the throne room. Stick close to me, alright?"

Weiss raced back into the room, grabbed her rapier, then rejoined her bodyguard. Ruby nodded approvingly and started to their destination, the princess following close behind.

As they made it to the front of the throne room, they saw the queen and Summer discussing something in whispers. When they noticed their approaching visitors, both women turned to look.

"Is something happening? Why are so many soldiers leaving the castle?" Weiss asked, casting a glance at their busy surroundings.

"I sent someone to inform you," Winter sighed. "The east wall was broken down. Grimm are invading, wave after wave. General Ozpin has left already with the best of the guard… The rest will follow soon."

"Dragon's blood," the princess cursed quietly, then assumed a posture of determination. "I should go too. I can-"

"No!"

Winter's voice rang through the halls of the castle, briefly disruption the flow of passing soldiers as they stopped to look at her. Weiss's shoulders dropped and she looked down, as if she'd been hit by a whip.

"It's out of the question," the queen said in a softer tone of voice. "You're too important to the kingdom… and to me. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Weiss looked up, moved by her sister's uncharacteristic show of emotion. After a moment, she turned her head to look at Ruby.

"I want you to go help the soldiers." She said resolutely.

"But, princess…" Ruby started to object.

"That's an order."

The redhead bodyguard hesitated for a moment, then nodded her understanding.

"I wish to join the fight too," Summer spoke. "I've had more than my fair share of experience with Grimm."

"Then go," Winter looked briefly at Ruby. "May the Moon watch over both of you."

Mother and daughter shared a knowing look, then strut off, already drawing their respective weapons.

Weiss looked at her sister doubtfully.

"You're wrong," she muttered. "We could turn the tide of battle… And you know that."

"Yes," Winter agreed seriously. "You and I know. Nobody else. And that is how it shall stay."

* * *

Things had gone bad fast. Once the east wall fell, the Grimm came pouring in, quickly making their way closer to the poorer sections of the city, where people had hardly any defense. The first soldiers to arrive could do little else than stop the monster from advancing further inside… That was their first priority, which meant people either had to run past them before danger found them. It wasn't the brightest of rescues, and everyone knew it.

After an hour, bigger Grimm started to appear. King Taijitus, giant snakes with steel-like scales. Death Stalkers, scorpions with stingers that could reach distances three times their width. One or two Goliaths, mammoths the size of the walls…

The soldiers had to fall back, and in that action, they lost formation. The Grimm spread out into the city. The only hope for the population was to race to the castle, but that was as farfetched a goal as they came.

Ruby and her mother took this chaos in stunned silence, standing on top of a house that had yet to be target by the Grimm. The younger redhead could only watch, tears flooding her eyes as she thought of defenseless citizens caught below.

"We're hardly any help here, dear," Summer said firmly. "Any Grimm that get to this point, the Guard can take care of. We should delve closer to the swarm… Take out the most dangerous specimens, and their force becomes not so overwhelming as it appears to be."

"A-alright," Ruby gulped. "What about the people?"

Summer hesitated for a moment, her eyes refusing to meet with her daughter's. Without another word, the Reaper gripped her scythe firmly and jumped to the ground, immediately breaking into a run towards the walls.

Ruby followed her, firing her pistol at any Grimm she sighted. Summer left some behind for her to take care of, while dealing with the ones directly in her path. After a while, the older redhead spun, intending to use her momentum to slash a Beowolf in two, but she lost her balance and crashed to the ground helplessly.

"Mother!" Ruby dashed in and stabbed the wolf in the head right as it went for the kill. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Summer muttered darkly, getting back on her feet. "I just took a tumble, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Her daughter frowned. "You're not tired or anything?"

"No!" Summer turned briefly to glare at her, then spoke again, softer. "I lost my balance. That is all."

Ruby watched her warily. The sudden shift in her mother's disposition was shocking, but she supposed it was understandable. They _were_ in the middle of a Grimm invasion… And nobody was so perfect as to keep their cool every breathing minute.

"I think we should check on Yang and Blake," Ruby suggested. "They could help."

"Yes. They're probably fighting already, though. They wouldn't run from this," Summer noted. "If we see them, we'll join forces."

Summer looked at her scythe for a brief moment, and Ruby thought she saw something in eyes then – frustration, or annoyance. Then the Reaper turned and ran, once again swinging her weapon.

The royal bodyguard went after her, still keeping tabs on the Grimm, but she was becoming more unnerved by the second. As they came closer to the walls, the destruction caused by the monsters grew more apparent and terrifying. Houses had crumbled, fire was spreading, and the blizzard was making its way in from the breach in the walls.

As they ran, Ruby looked to the side and halted, her eyes widening. A dozen bear-like creatures with sharp claws and fangs – Ursai – were converging around a building, climbing onto the roof and clashing against the walls. Two soldiers were at the door, trying to repel the creatures with all their might, while a multitude of people cowered in the darkness behind them.

"Mom!" Ruby shouted. "We've got to help!"

Summer whirled and looked at her, then the building that was under attack. She closed her eyes for a moment, seemingly considering her options, then cast a strong look at her daughter.

"You can take care of it," she said. "I believe in you."

Ruby's protests died in her mouth as her mother ran away, leaving her line of sight in a matter of second. The bodyguard cursed under her breath and raced towards the building, lifting her pistol in preparation.

Her first shot found the back of an Ursa's neck, killing it instantly. Four of them turned and dashed at her, making for more dangerous foes. Ruby shot once again, slowing one of them down by injuring its right leg, then withdrew her pistol and took her sword in both hands.

She ducked under the swing of a claw and jumped, burying her blade on the underside of the attacker's head. The girl used her speedy movement to spin in the air, kicking another Ursa in the back with both her legs. Retrieving her sword, she brought it down on the fallen monster's head, killing it too.

One of the two remaining Ursai, the one had stayed untouched, was now right upon her. Ruby dived to the side, narrowly dodging a vicious bite, and stabbed the creature in the chest. Not taking any risks, she immediately drew her sword back and swung it at the last Ursa, chopping its head off.

She took a deep breath and looked at the state of the building. One of the soldiers had fallen, blood guzzling out of his slashed neck. The remaining one was poking desperately with his sword, but he refused to give ground, knowing that he was all that stood between the Grimm and the civilians.

Ruby ran to his side, tackling an Ursa down to the ground and slashing at its torso. She got up and looked at her unlikely companion, and he looked right back in surprise.

"Jaune?"

"Ruby?"

The two shuddered as a massive piece of the ceiling fell behind them, accompanied by a dozen Ursai and Beowolves.

"Shit!" Jaune swore. "How do we deal with this? They're going to devour those people!"

"Keep these off the building!" Ruby ordered rashly. "I'll kill the others."

"You can't take them by yourself!"

She didn't listen, racing to stand between the murderous mob and the people, who had huddled themselves in a corner. Ruby brought her pistol up, shooting as fast as possible before the distance became too narrow. Three Beowolves and a Ursa fell, but the rest kept coming.

She tossed her pistol back and swung her sword desperately as the Grimm fell upon her. Dark blood poured over her, and she fell on her back. Something bit her in the leg, but she couldn't see what in the unruly mess she had delved into.

She rolled, ignoring the searing pain from the fangs tearing on her leg. Ruby swung again, slashing a Beowolf in two, then crashed to the ground as an Ursa tackled her. The people's shrieks pierced her ears, but she heard them as if they were far, far away…

A loud explosion echoed in the building, and then another, and another… Half of the Grimm parted from the group and converged on someone else, giving her breathing room to struggle once more. She rolled to face upward and stabbed blindly, and more blood fell right at her face.

Suddenly, she was brought up by a human hand and dragged off to the outside. Ruby coughed and swiped the blood away from her eyes. General Ozpin stood in front of her, smoking pistol in one hand, a concerned frown on his eyes. Jaune watched for a moment, making sure Ruby was fine, then went back inside to check on the civilians.

"Good work, Ruby," Ozpin said. "I'm afraid you reopened your wound."

The redhead looked down at her bleeding shoulder, where Emerald had stabbed her the previous night.

"And your leg… You're lucky it wasn't torn off." He added.

"I'm fine, sir," she mumbled. "Just got to keep fighting."

"You're too stubborn for your own good," Ozpin said. "I won't try to convince you to go, but you're staying near me. Have you seen your mother in this mess?"

"She went to drive the Grimm back," Ruby looked down at her feet. "Left me to save these people alone."

"Hmm."

Jaune exited the building, wiping his forehead tiredly.

"Nobody was hurt," he said. "You're a real lifesaver, Ruby. A-and you too, General."

"Of course. It's a big part of my job," Ozpin smiled amusedly. "You're staying with us, Jaune Arc. I could use your help."

"Y-you know my name, sir?"

"I know _everyone's_ names," the general drew his sword. "Alright. My men are already doing all they can. Our objective is to save as many people as we can. Understood?"

Ruby and Jaune looked at each other, then nodded, ready to defend their kingdom.

* * *

"Alright, one thing to keep in mind," Yang said, examining the chaotic streets in front of her. "Grimm are… Uh, wait a moment…"

She turned her head to the side, her face scrunching slightly. Her eyes shifted from violet to red and back to violet, and then she looked back at Blake, who was holding her daggers apprehensively.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" The faunus asked.

"Are you serious? This is a golden opportunity. I can go wild all I want, and nobody will bat an eye… probably," Yang shrugged. "Anyway. You gotta keep in mind that fighting Grimm is very different from fighting other people. You don't circle around them, you don't try to predict their next moves… You just go for the kill, because that's what _they_ will do."

"That sounds… unwise." Blake noted, trying to voice her opinion in a way that wouldn't offend her friend.

"You can think whatever you want. Did _you_ survive out there in the middle of Grimm for weeks without end?"

Blake nodded slightly, deciding to let the matter go and indulge the blonde.

"Alright, time for some fun." Yang grinned.

"Wait," Blake said. "Aren't you going to get a sword? Any kind of weapon?"

"Oh, Blake, I'm always carrying the only two weapons I need."

Yang closed her eyes for an instant, and when she opened them again, they were a vibrant shade of red. With a shout that almost resembled a roar, she dashed forward and leaped at a mass of Grimm. Her fists collided with the first target she found, an unknowing Ursa whose head went flying off its torso and smashed against a wall. The blonde landed and shouted again, delivering a flurry of punches, only barely recognizing her targets.

Blake waited for a moment, watching in both awe and terror as the kind woman who had taken her in tore effortlessly through a crowd of deadly monsters. The faunus looked around, trying to identify a target suitable for her.

A trio of Beowolves ran through a nearby alley, headed to a street right beside the one the girls were standing in. Blake ran to a house and jumped, kicking against it to gain more height, then landed on its roof. She lowered herself carefully as she walked toward the edge, her eyes trained on the oblivious Grimm below, like a cat hunting mice.

As the wolves passed right beneath her, she jumped, landing on one's back and burying both dagger on its head. Without hesitation, she slid to the nearest one and slashed its throat, then spun to face the last one…

Its eyes stared right into hers, two red orbs in the night, spreading a sense of terror through her. Blake took a step back and threw a dagger back, intending to toss it at the beast, when suddenly it fell to the ground, lifeless.

Sun tore his staff off the Beowolf's back, shaking its gore off, and smiled charmingly at her.

"No, no, milady," he said. "No need to thank me."

"I wasn't planning to." Blake noted amusedly.

Sun lifted an eyebrow slowly. He definitely hadn't expected such an answer from the shy girl he had met just a week ago. Apparently, she had grown a sense of humor.

"I see. You're a tough case," Sun sighed. "Seen Yang around?"

"Yeah," Blake pointed behind her. "She's right over there, at the other street."

The brunette entered an alley, Sun following close behind. They poked their head out to watch as their mutual friend continued to slaughter wave after wave of Grimm.

"Damn," Sun muttered. "Never seen someone take on so many at once. She seems… really angry. She okay?"

"Don't worry," Blake said. "It's just that time of the month."  
"Oh," the monkey faunus cleared his throat. "You sure have a weird sense of humor, Blake."

Blake looked at him dubiously. Did he not know about Yang's power?

As if on cue, a fiery spire spun around Yang's body, incinerating the last Grimm around her. The blonde sighed happily and walked back to her friend, acknowledging Sun with a nod.

"Is that therapeutic for you or something?" Sun asked.

"I can't lie," Yang smiled. "It is pretty relaxing."

The ground shook beneath their feet, as if a massive being was stomping on the ground rhythmically. Blake looked up worriedly, but found no source for the tremor.

"Do you think Ruby is out here?" She asked quietly.

"Of course she is," Yang said. "She's certainly running around saving people. There's no doubt in my mind about that. Me, I don't really work that way. People get scared when they see a red-eyed lunatic tear Grimm apart with her bare hands."

"Shit, I was scared of you _before_ I knew you could do that." Sun pointed out.

Yang grinned.

"And that's how I like it," she said, cracking her knuckles. "Who's up for another round?"

* * *

Summer's eyes scanned the streets, her lips pressed together tightly. It should be hard to concentrate amidst the chaos, but she felt right at home. Any Grimm that came close to her, she dispatched in one fell swoop, as she waited for her opportunity…

Finally, her target came into sight, walking through the ruins of the east wall. A quadruped monster the size of a castle, with tusks that could pierce through any material and feet which reduced anything it stomped to dust.

"Excellent," she muttered, a little smile forming between her lips. "Time to end this, boy."

She ran towards the beast, jumping to the top of a building, waiting for it to come closer. The ground shook at it approached, eyes wandering over the city as if it were indifferent to everything, even the prey it supposedly hunted. Summer took a deep breath and leaped, grabbing onto the Grimm's trunk.

The Goliath's eyes flared with rage, and he snapped his head up. Summer held on tight to both the creature and her scythe, until she reached the apex of the trunk's ascent… and let go, falling fast and landing on the Grimm's head with a graceful roll.

She lifted her scythe and brought it down, burying it on the Goliath's head, but it continued to walk, unfazed. The woman cursed and repeated her attack, once more obtaining no response. Her silver eyes shimmered with fury as she persisted, losing herself as she futilely struck the monster.

After a while, the Goliath grew tired of her antics and raised itself on its hind legs. Summer kept her scythe buried and held on to it, hanging by the arms, her legs swinging free in the air. Still, she showed nothing but rage.

"Why won't you go down?!" She screamed. " _Die_!"

She pulled on the scythe, bringing it out of the creature just enough so that the weapon began sliding down the Grimm, making a bloody trail on its skin. The Goliath settled onto its feet again, but immediately began to shake its entire body in an effort to remove her from it.

An explosion rang through the air, and when Summer looked up, she was surprised to see another person had climbed atop the Grimm. Pyrrha Nikos stood on the creature's very face, point her rifle point blank at its right eye.

"Wait!" Summer yelled. "Don't!"

The Reaper cursed quietly. Everything was too loud. There was no chance she would be heard.

Pyrrha pulled the trigger, and the eye popped like a balloon. She gritted her teeth, disgusted by the fluids that flooded the ruined socket, and aimed at the remaining eye. She shot again, turning the Grimm completely blind.

The Goliath stumbled to the side, losing his balance both because of his sudden lack of vision and the overwhelming pain on his system. Pyrrha Nikos looked at Summer warily as the creature started to fall, but the Reaper only glared at her.

* * *

After the Goliath fell, driving back the Grimm became a much easier task. The reinforcement from the castle outnumbered even the monstrous horde, killing most of it, and driving the rest back into the freezing plains.

Ozpin acted quickly, assigning more than half of the guard to stand on the breach, preventing a follow-up invasion. Among the wreckage of the walls, they made a terrible discovery: everyone who had been standing watch was dead, and by human hands. Only one survivor was found.

As the sun came up, the General returned to the castle with dark rings around his eyes, his hands shaking from the tiresome night. Ruby accompanied him sullenly, her shoulder and leg covered in makeshift bandaging.

The two entered the throne room unceremoniously, where they found the queen and her sister waiting. Apparently, the two hadn't slept too. Nobles crowded both sides of the room, eager to learn news of the invasion.

"Has the breach been contained?" Winter asked.

"…Yes," Ozpin sighed. "Yes, it has."

The nobles voiced their relief as one, but before they got carried away, the queen raised a hand, asking for silence.

"What are the casualties?" She questioned somberly.

"As of this moment… Too many to count," Ozpin informed. "But I can confirm that everyone who stood watch at the east wall is dead, except for one Coco Adel. She claims a girl by the name of Neo infiltrated their midst and assassinated them one by one."

A gasp spread through the crowd. Before any more statements could be made, the doors swung open again, and Summer strode inside the room, her cape billowing behind her, teary and stained with blood.

"A common, yet terrible tactic," she voiced loudly. "Find a susceptible defensive spot. Wait for Grimm activity to rise. Then draw negative emotions near that spot," she paused. "There. A recipe for disaster."

"You're saying someone planned this breach?" Ozpin rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"I'm saying _you_ planned this breach."

The room was taken by silence as the two glared at each other intensely. Ruby took a step back, her exhausted mind shutting down at the sight of the two most reliable adults in her life coming into conflict.

"Lady Rose," Winter spoke up icily. "Explain yourself. General Ozpin is a trusted servant of the kingdom. This is a very serious accusation."

"Oh, please," Summer clenched her fists. "He can't get a word out of the prisoner. She looks at him as if they were the dearest of friends. She almost escapes under his men's watch… And then he puts an absurd amount of people in the walls, practically begging for a Grimm attack," her eyes narrowed. "He's behind this. _Everything_. Can't you see he's a _traitor_?"

Ozpin stared at her, his collected exterior breaking and giving way to helplessness. He stumbled forward and looked around the crowd. Half the nobles were shaking their heads dismissively, but more and more started to look at Summer and murmur their agreement. His eyes wandered over to Winter, defeated and hollowed of emotion. The queen's expression trembled, as if were trying to find an escape route for him.

"She's right." Weiss spoke suddenly.

Every other voice in the room died out. Ruby looked at her liege and shook her head vigorously, while Summer's eyes lit up with victory.

"When I was in town, he lured me into a false sense of safety," Weiss stated firmly. "It gave his allies the opportunity to strike at my bodyguard while she was distracted. And last night…"

"Princess…" Ruby muttered, but nobody heard her.

"He was Emerald Sustrai's shadowy assistant," the princess finished. "I did not speak sooner, afraid of making a mistake that could cost an honorable man's life. Now I see that I should not have hesitated at all."

Furious shouts and venomous curses filled the room, all directed at Ozpin, who seemed to have become a shell of a man. The Grimm blood that splattered his clothes did not help in shedding him into a friendly light.

Winter steeled herself, then stood, drawing her rapier.

"Ozpin," she said. "I hereby strip you of your rank as High General of Vale, and sentence you to prison until proper judgement is held," she closed her eyes. "Guards. Escort him to the dungeons."

Ruby watched helplessly as her mentor was taken away. She waited for him to make a statement, to protest, do _anything_ , but he just shook his head and accompanied the guards, his eyes glued to the ground.

"Mother," she muttered. "How could you do this?"

"Ruby… Dear," Summer leaned her forehead onto her daughter's. "I'm sorry. But I couldn't stand by and let this go on any longer," she paused. "I don't blame you for not speaking before. But I expect you to learn something from this, alright?"

" _No_ ," Ruby stepped back. "You're wrong. Everyone's wrong."

She turned and exited the throne room, her steps echoing in the halls of the castle. The doors opened behind her moments after, and she turned to tell her mother to go away, but was surprised to see Weiss standing there, a guilty look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Ruby," the princess said. "I didn't want this either. But it was the right thing to do."

"No. It's not," Ruby shook her head, her eyes losing their focus, as if she were sick. "It's… not…"

"Ruby, I think you're not well," Weiss stated. "You're injured. You need to see Doctor-"

" _NO_!"

The princess stumbled back, startled by the tone of Ruby's voice. The redhead stood still for a moment, uttered an apology, then walked to the exit of the castle. Weiss stayed behind, feeling small and lost in a world without answers.

* * *

 **Man, this is some classic Zeroan shit right there. People dying. Grimm skirmishes. Redhead heroines climbing on top of Goliaths and shooting their eyeballs. Brings back memories.  
**

 **And, yeah, it didn't escape my notice that I introduced Fox in one scene and killed him in the next. I think that's taking Zeroan-shit to the next level.**

 **I was actually planning to have Neo be completely mute here, but... I really liked the thought of her saying a single, terrifying line to Coco to make her realize what was going to happen. Maybe someone who doesn't talk _willingly_ is even creepier than someone mute. (I hope I'm not triggering someone right now. Everyone can be creepy, mute or not! GO NEO!)**

 **-Zeroan**


	10. Sleep

Yang stumbled inside her house, her vision shimmering with colorful shades of red, as if a filter had been put before her eyes. Her body began to sore as she awakened from her bestial state… but she also felt exhilarated. As horrible as the Grimm invasion had been, it had also served as a much-welcomed escape mechanism.

She looked around the house dreamingly, vaguely registering Blake's black locks of hair sticking out of her bed's covers. Yang's eyes gained a sharper quality, though, when she finally found her sister sitting on her own bed, back pressed against the wall and hugging her knees. It was a familiar sight, though Ruby had done this much less frequently as she grew closer to adulthood.

"Ruby?" Yang rubbed her eyes, trying to snap herself awake faster. "You alright?"

"Yes," the redhead answered. A few seconds passed before she opened her mouth again. "Not really."

"It was pretty bad last night," Yang acknowledged, smiling sadly. Ruby always seemed so tough, it was easy to forget how young she truly was. "You did your best, sister. You should be proud. Not everyone can be saved."

"I know," Ruby shook her head. "That's… not why I'm upset."

Yang sat beside her, one arm snaking around her sister's shoulders instinctively.

"Tell me about it."

"Well… They – the princess, the queen, everyone – they think Ozpin was behind the breach," Ruby whispered. "And the assassination attempts. And breaking Emerald out. He's in prison now."

Yang's eyes reddened slightly, her muscles tensing with anger.

"That's bullshit!" She stated firmly. "Why the hell would anyone think that?"

"W-well, he was there when I escorted the princess in the city, and when Emerald almost escaped," Ruby said hesitantly. "Even though that makes no sense whatsoever. A-and… He put a whole bunch of people on guard at the east wall, and then someone murdered them all to cause a panic. That's the theory, anyway."

" _Right_ ," Yang scoffed. "Because the High General of Vale wants to kill hundreds of innocent people because, I don't know, his coffee was too cold for his taste?" She sighed. "Who would be crazy enough to even _imagine_ that possibility?"

"…My mother."

Yang's anger was quickly substituted by helplessness as she fully understood Ruby's position. It was bad enough that Ozpin, who had been her father in all but blood, was being painted as a traitor… But she also had to deal with the fact that her _mother_ was the one doing it.

"Look, Ruby," Yang muttered, forcing herself to smile, if only a little bit. "I'm sure this will all end soon. A week or two, and everyone will realize Ozpin _can't_ be at fault. Summer will apologize, and hopefully there'll no bad blood between them. Alright?"

"If you say so…" Ruby said. "Even the princess believes her…"

Yang shrugged. She didn't know what went on inside Weiss's snobby head, and she certainly wasn't about to conjure more lies to defend her. That would be stretching her sisterly duties too far.

Blake's bed creaked quietly as she sat at its edge and looked at the two sisters. There wasn't sign of sleep in her face, which made Yang assume the faunus had been awake for a long time already.

"If it helps, Ruby," Blake said. "We could talk to Ozpin. I'm sure the princess would allow it, because of your relationship with him."

"Yes," Ruby's eyes filled with hope. "And she did apologize afterwards! She must have felt pretty bad."

"Really? That means she owes you," Yang smiled mischievously. "Don't waste that, Ruby."

The redhead looked at her sister in exasperation. She had tried to make her understand Weiss was a good person, but that hadn't changed Yang's disposition much.

Without the energy to argue, Ruby stood and gathered her weapons, then exited the house. Blake followed shortly, daggers sheathed on her hips and eyes fixed on her friend's back, as if she meant to be _her_ bodyguard.

Yang looked down at her hands and closed them. Her fists shook with silent rage. Everything had been going well before Summer dropped in on her – and her sister's – life.

They needed to have a talk.

* * *

"What I'm saying is, we can't just _wait_ for something else to go wrong. The General tried to take the princess heir's life twice before, and he failed on both counts. What if he succeeds a third attempt?" The nobleman stood up, slamming his hands down on the strategy table. "What if he targets the queen?!"

The room was filled with a chorus of opinions, most in agreement and carrying the same emotions as the first speaker. Only three individuals stayed silent during the tumult: Summer Rose, who was sitting still on her chair, arms crossed; Glynda Goodwitch, her usual stern expression slipping into anger; and the queen herself.

After many minutes of that, Winter stood briefly and look around the table. The nobles slowly took notice and settled down, one by one, ashamed, but still restless.

"What you propose," the queen said icily. "Is beyond reason. We will _not_ execute Ozpin. He served me and my parents for decades, and Vale is a better place for it. I might have stripped him of his ranks, but I will return them as soon as he is proven innocent."

" _If_ he is proven innocent," Summer interjected softly. "But I agree. We mustn't act rashly, especially now," she paused briefly. " _But_ … We can't afford to leave his rank empty. The other kingdoms already know of our struggles. If they learn that we lack a High General…"

"Ozpin appointed successors, in case of his _death_ ," Glynda pointed out, letting her last word hang for a moment. "But I doubt any of you would trust his choices now."

"And it's not even the General's place to name the next," Summer added. "That duty befalls to our queen."

Every pair of eyes in the room flew to Winter. The ruler's face stayed impassive, though her knuckles turned white as she interlaced her fingers. She wasn't too happy with the meeting, and that didn't escape anyone's attention.

"It is _not_ my duty," she said. "Not mine alone, at least. I would rather wait for Ozpin's name to be cleared, but I agree that would be foolish. Present your options, and I shall decide on a temporary replacement."

The council was silent for a few moments, but before long, many presented themselves or their closest allies as possible Generals. Winter listened attentively, but she didn't consider choosing them. Subtle as they tried to be, their greediness was evident in their mannerisms. Handing any of them the responsibility of defending her kingdom would be disastrous.

"Perhaps," Summer spoke, and Winter held her tongue, assuming she would make a similar move. "You should entrust Lady Goodwitch with Ozpin's former title. She is wise to the inner workings of our military, and she has proven herself reliable multiple times in the past."

Winter stared at her, finding the idea very agreeable. She was about to announce her decision, but then Glynda stood and shook her head.

"Although I am very flattered, Lady Rose, I must refuse," she said. "While I opposed him at times, Ozpin considered me a great ally. In turn, I held him in high esteem. I cannot in good conscience assume his place, and you shouldn't trust me with it."

"Oh," Summer said, appearing dazed by her candidate's refusal. "Well. I can't fault you for acting so honorably, Lady Goodwitch. Still, these are desperate times…"

"Indeed, they are," Glynda nodded. "Which is why you should be named High General. Temporarily," she closed her eyes, as if she found difficult to continue speaking. "While you have proven yourself as more than a rebel, your past is not something that we can forget. Your experiences could prove very useful to the kingdom."

Summer was silent for a long while, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. The queen did not speak, but her mask of tranquility was fading with each passing second.

"That is… I don't know what to say," the Reaper lowered her head solemnly. "I would be honored to be named High General, and I would use that power to put an end to our current… predicaments. The White Fang, Ozpin's assassins – whether they're allied or not… I would have them _gone_ by winter's end."

The council nodded one by one, murmuring their approval. Glynda sat down and look at the queen.

"You have spoken," Winter said slowly. "Summer Rose. You shall serve as High General of Vale until Ozpin's judgement. If he is proven innocent, you will willingly hand your title back to him. If he is proven guilty, we will approach this matter once more and I will decide on a permanent General."

"Thank you, my queen," Summer smiled slightly. "I will not disappoint you."

* * *

"Princess?"

Weiss's raised her head to look at her door, which slowly creaked open, revealing Ruby's anxious face. Behind her was Blake, but the brunette looked as if she preferred to stay unnoticed. Weiss respected that wish – talking to Ruby would be uncomfortable enough already, anyway. She prefered if Blake didn't listen to the conversation.

The princess swiped a rag across her rapier's blade one last time, then pointed the sword at the ground once, signaling for her bodyguard to enter. Ruby slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

"I'm… really, really, _really_ sorry I yelled at you last night," she said, almost too fast to follow. "I was just really stressed about the Grimm and the death and then Ozpin-"

"You are forgiven," Weiss interrupted, trying to keep her voice emotionless. "Your distress was partly caused by my actions. While I don't condone your _rebelling_ against them, I understand how you feel about them.

"I… Uh, thank you?" Ruby shook her head, confused by Weiss's speech. "W-what's going to happen to General Ozpin?"

Weiss sheathed her rapier and raised an eyebrow at her bodyguard.

"First of all, he is not _General_ Ozpin anymore," she pointed out. "If he is proven innocent, his title will be returned promptly."

"And if he is proven guilty…?"

Weiss looked at Ruby silently, not wanting to answer that with words. Any act of treason had heavy consequences upon the perpetrator, but targeting the life of a direct heir to the throne? Execution would be the kindest option.

"Your mother was named High General, at least for now," Weiss informed. "You may talk to her, if you wish. I can relinquish your presence for a couple of hours."

"Thank you. I'll do that," Ruby bit her lower lip. "I was wondering… Could I maybe speak with Ozpin…?"

Weiss looked away, and Ruby was unable to read the emotions on her face.

"Fine. I will allow that," the princess said. "He's in the dungeons. Tell the guards you have my permission to enter," she turned to look at Ruby seriously. "This will happen _once_ , understood? It's hard enough to have Ozpin imprisoned. I don't want you begging to see him every day."

Ruby nodded mutely and exited the room. Weiss muttered something to herself and gripped the hilt of her sword, the air around her crystalizing in brief explosions.

* * *

Summer entered her room, humming beneath her breath. She didn't wait a second before removing the scythe off her back and throwing it to a corner, then freed the cloak from her neck and shoulders, letting it fall to the floor unceremoniously.

She strode to the mirror above her nightstand, which was right in front of her bed. She looked at her reflection and smiled, silver eyes shimmering… She looked above her right shoulder and spun around, closing her fists instinctively.

"So," Yang spoke, lying comfortably on the bed. "I heard we have a new General or something."

"Dragon's blood, Yang. You scared me," Summer chuckled and leaned on the nightstand. "You heard right. The queen named me High General until Ozpin's judgment."

"Sounds like a strange title for the Reaper, huh?"

The redhead tilted her head to the side and wandered closer to the bed.

"And by that, you mean…?"

"Nothing at all," Yang smiled and sat up. "I just think it's funny, you know? You were a rebel, known worldwide for your daring adventures… Disappearing with rulers' crowns, freeing their slaves and all that. Now you're the right hand of Vale's queen."

"Right," Summer smiled. "That _is_ funny."

"I bet my mother would find that very funny too."

Summer's face crunched up with rage, but she turned around so Yang wouldn't see it.

"I doubt that," she said calmly. "Raven didn't have much of a sense of humor. We used to say Qrow took it all from their parents, so there was none left for her."

"I thought Qrow was drunk half the time?"

"Well, some drunks are very funny."

Yang jumped to her feet and walked to Summer's side, crossing her arms tensely.

"Look, Summer, I'm just going to say this now, alright? I'm glad you're back. I'm glad Ruby was reunited with you," she paused. "I don't care if you fuck everything up in this castle. In fact, go right ahead! But when you do it, don't go back to Ruby and say _it's alright_ , and that she's your _little dear_. She's not a child anymore – you missed all that. She's having a hard time enough already without you trying to play mother."

Summer looked down at her feet, lips pursed with displeasure. Yang sighed and patted her on the shoulder.

"Sorry," the blonde said. "But you need to understand that. You can still see and talk to her. Just be more… I don't know, mindful of your actions."

"I'll try," Summer smiled humorlessly. "You _are_ just like your mother, Yang. She didn't hold back either."

"Eh, I hold back all the time," Yang pointed to her eyes, which shifted to red for a split second. "I'm holding back right now."

Summer chuckled.

"My offer still stands. I could teach you how to use your powers," she said. "You could learn how to use them during the day. You wouldn't lose control at night – well, except at the moon's peak. Heck, there's some aspects of your inheritance you don't even know _exist_."

"Again, no," Yang shook her head. "I'm happy the way I am. Thanks for the offer, anyway," she went to the door. "I have to go now. My boss was pretty upset when I demanded a few hours."

Summer nodded and watched her go. As soon as Yang was gone, she turned back to the mirror and closed her fists in frustration.

* * *

Blake closed the door behind her and walked forward, then almost went stumbling down into the darkness. Ruby caught her by her arm, holding a lantern on her right hand.

"There's three steps here." Ruby reminded, holding back laughter.

"I knew that," Blake muttered. "I was just… testing you."

The redhead decided to humor her and nodded her head. They went down the steps and walked through the dungeon, passing by empty cells with rusty manacles and bloodied walls. Finally, they saw Ozpin, sitting cross-legged on the cold stone floor. He looked at the two girls and smiled, as if their visit didn't surprise him at all.

"General." Ruby mumbled respectfully, setting the lantern on a nearby stool.

"It's just Ozpin now," he said. "I'm glad you came to visit, Ruby. And you too, Blake."

"You've been kind to me, sir," Blake smiled sourly. "It was the least I could do."

Ozpin nodded slightly. He could imagine why she said those words. In a world filled with racists and slavers, coming across a welcoming soul was like a dream come true.

"Ruby," he spoke, eyes wandering to the redhead girl. "I want you to know I don't blame you for anything. _This_ is Summer's work. You didn't want this for a second."

"Yes. I never believed you were evil," Ruby said resolutely. "Someone's incriminating you. They must be using magic or something, to make illusions of you!"

"Magic, Ruby?" Blake repeated, smirking.

"I wouldn't make light of Ruby's theory, Blake," Ozpin said. "There are powerful forces in this world. You know about Yang, don't you?"

Blake frowned. That was a valid point. If Yang could summon flames and become almost a beast because of the moon, what stopped others from having similar, or even scarier abilities?

"My mother was named High General today, sir," Ruby told sadly. "Just while you're here… I know she's only doing what she thinks is right, but I can see she's wrong to accuse you. Shouldn't she be able to see it too?"

"Your mother, Ruby," Ozpin paused, as if he wished to go back on his words. "I'm not sure Summer is in her right mind. I have suspected this for years. I knew her before. She was a rebel at heart, and while she was definitely not cruel or beyond reason, I couldn't see her working with, much less _for_ a monarchy."

"Maybe she changed," Blake noted. "When she lost… You know. People don't survive those things and come out the same."

"Yes," Ozpin agreed. "Never the same…" He looked at Ruby. "Ruby, I want to ask you a favor. I know my judgment is near, and I will not fight it, whatever sentence it brings me. But I would like to talk with the queen, and Summer, one last time. Just the two of them. Could you arrange that?"

"Right away, sir!"

Ruby nodded, grabbed the lantern and ran away, forgetting Blake in her excitement. The faunus stayed near the cell, still able to see Ozpin in the darkness.

"I could free you." She said quietly.

"You could," he agreed. "But you won't. I don't want it. Escaping this cell would accomplish nothing, and it would incriminate you and Ruby."

"You're right," Blake turned around. "It was a stupid thing to say."

Ozpin smiled as she walked away.

"It wasn't," he said. "Thank you, Blake Belladonna."

* * *

Ruby gulped nervously as she led Ozpin through the castle's hallways, accompanied by a dozen guards and the princess. Blake had left some time ago, not wanting to interfere with her friend's important duties.

Weiss walked beside her, one hand hovering near her rapier's handle, and her eyes kept wandering to the man they escorted. She tried to appear tough, but in truth, she was scared and sad. Ruby wanted to take her hand to comfort her, but she knew that wouldn't be appreciated… not vocally, anyway.

As they neared the strategy room, Weiss signaled with her hand, and the guards scattered and assumed posts on the walls. She turned to look at Ozpin directly.

"I will follow your wishes and stay here," she said. "The queen and Lady Rose are waiting inside."

"Thank you," Ozpin tried to touch her on the shoulder, but Weiss took a step back and gripped her rapier. "I'm sorry. This might be our last opportunity to talk, so I need you to know that."

"Sorry for trying to _murder_ me?" The princess scoffed.

"No. I'm sorry I couldn't help your parents. I'm hoping I can help your sister, now."

Weiss looked at him, confused and hesitant. Her features softened, but she turned away and pointed to the door. Ozpin nodded to Ruby and left them.

He entered the room and noticed it had been changed for the occasion. Instead of the big round table they hosted their meetings at, there was now a small, glass one surrounded by three comfortable chairs. Glasses and wine were set on it, as if they were about to have a fancy meal.

Winter sat still on her chair, head raised levelly, the image of royalty. Her eyes met his with a clear message on them.

Summer seemed restless, leaning forward slightly, her cloak hiding most of her body. She looked at him and shook her head, as if she would rather have him in the dungeons and out of her sight.

"This is interesting," Ozpin noted, taking a seat and pointing at the glasses. "I wanted a meeting. Whose idea was it to bring wine?"

"Mine, actually," Summer smiled. "I thought you'd appreciate a good drink. You'll be having nothing but water for a long while, won't you?"

"That is very thoughtful of you, Lady Rose," he raised his hands. "Excuse me. _General_ Rose."

"Just Summer is fine."

The queen looked from one to the other and sighed.

"I understand your rivalry," she paused. "Actually, I don't. I could never figure out why there is such animosity between the two of you. But I understand this rivalry _exists_ ," she corrected. "I ask that you put it aside for now. Can you do that?"

Summer and Ozpin looked at each other for a moment, then nodded silently.

"Now, Ozpin," Winter said. "You wanted this meeting. What did you want to discuss?"

"Actually, I have nothing to say," he revealed. "I wanted to ask the General some questions. Why do you believe I'm this… mastermind?"

"Because you were seen-"

"No. Not that," Ozpin interrupted. "I'm asking you _why_ I would make any moves against the throne – against _the people_."

Summer paused and hung back a little, her lips forming a straight line.

"There are plenty of possibilities," she said. "Perhaps you've grown tired of the monarchy. Perhaps you developed a hatred for the princess. _Perhaps_ your mother let you fall on your head as a baby."

"That is hardly appropriate, Lady Rose." Winter noted.

"Sorry," Summer sighed. "My point is, _I don't know_. I can't come up with a reason for your actions, Ozpin, but the evidence is right there. Perhaps you aren't behind the breach, but the assassins? The princess herself confirmed your involvement."

"My involvement," Ozpin said. "Or the tricks of another trying to incriminate me."

Summer scoffed and looked at Winter.

"And I'm the unreasonable one?" She said. "If you're talking about magic, we should also start considering hunting for unicorns. I hear one bite of their meat can sustain you for years."

"Will this be your input on my trial, Rose? Outright dismissal of my every defense?" Ozpin asked.

"If you don't come up with a better cover story, yes."

The ex-general shook his head tiredly.

"I'll ask another question," he said. "Why would you leave your past behind and integrate yourself in a system you despise?"

"There was no _past_ to come back to," Summer muttered. "I lost it all. My friends. My daughter - or so I thought. The Schnee house offered me a new life when what they should have done was execute me. Ever since then, I have served them, and gladly so."

Ozpin got up and walked around the table slowly. Summer filled a glass and took a long sip, then raised an eyebrow at him.

"You see, what bothers me," he said. "Is that the Summer Rose I met decades ago was adamant on her beliefs. She could be compassionate – she _was_ , most of the time – but when it came to royalty and the likes, she was vastly indifferent to their concerns. And justly so. We don't need a heroine to fight our battles."

"If you liked me this much, you should have said something," Summer noted sarcastically. "That and a pretty ring would have gotten you places."

"And she wasn't so frivolous, though that's beyond my point," Ozpin continued. "The thing I remember most is that she respected me. She knew I was much like her – we were both born of common folk, and we made names for ourselves out of effort and determination. She understood the only thing that separated us were our ideologies. I respected her too."

He stopped and stared at her fixedly. His eyes displayed a scary amount of emotion for him – hatred and sadness in conflict waves, she recognized.

"You, on the other hand," he said. "You're nothing but a mockery of her. You give no respect, and you don't deserve any either."

Summer froze like an animal faced with a hunter, slowly lowering her glass and putting it down on the table. Then she smiled, tilted her head upward, and started laughing. The queen looked away in displeasure.

"By the Moon, Ozpin. One day in the dungeon and you already lost what little you had left of your mind," Summer said. "People change! Like you said, you met me decades ago. I _am_ Summer Rose, you're just desperate to shift the blame away from you," she looked at Winter. "Honestly, my queen, we should be merciful and execute him already."

"No." Winter turned her head to look at her directly in the eyes.

Summer's joy faded quickly, giving way to seriousness. She leaned closer to the queen, staring at her.

"Really," she said. "He is mad. It would be better to get rid of him already."

"Stop it. I know what you are trying to do," Winter frowned. "You can't charm me. You haven't been able to for years."

Summer clutched the arms of her chair and looked at Ozpin, who was now smiling humorlessly.

"Magic, huh?" He said.

"You're both mad," Summer stated. "Ozpin, you should just leave and-"

"Let me ask you two final questions," the wise man interrupted. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Summer looked down and stayed unmoving except for the rising and falling of her chest. Ozpin took a step closer to the queen, preparing himself for anything. Winter reached for her rapier, leaning on the side of her chair.

Then Summer raised her head and leaned forward again, a smile plastered on her lips.

"I'm sorry I tricked you, Winter. We had some good times," she chuckled, then raised a hand level to the queen's eyes. "Now, sleep."

She flicked the hand to the side. Winter's blue irises shrank, and she fell backwards on her chair. Ozpin looked at her, not knowing what to do in reaction.

"And to you, Ozpin," Summer clucked her tongue, then stood and shouted at the top of her lungs. " _NO!_ "

She produced a dagger from beneath her cloak and threw it. Ozpin reached with a hand, but was too slow, and the weapon buried itself on the queen's stomach. Her white dress reddened with blood.

"How could you?!" Summer bellowed. " _Guards_!"

The doors burst open as a dozen soldiers rushed in, drawing their swords and looking around for an assassin. Summer stumbled back, knocking her chair down and pointed at Ozpin while covering her mouth with her other hand.

"What?" Ozpin muttered as he was held back by men who had once obeyed his commands, offering no resistance as he looked dazedly at his queen. "Winter… Winter! _Wake up_!"

A gasp and a strangled yell reached his ears, and he looked up and saw Weiss enter the room and rush to her sister's side, taking her in her arms and laying her down on the ground. Winter was deathly pale, the blood continuing to exit her wound, but she was still breathing.

Ruby approached her, mute, one hand on her sword, the other hanging uselessly at her side. She looked at Summer, who was shaking with rage, and then to Ozpin, who seemed utterly defeated.

Weiss raised her head and looked at Ozpin. Tears streamed down her face, but when she spoke, there was no emotion on her voice.

"You did this… You monster."

Summer strut through the room, drawing her scythe from her back.

"Princess," she said. "Give the word."

"Do it," Weiss whispered. "Kill him."

Summer nodded to the guards, and they let go of Ozpin and stepped away. He stood still while she raised her scythe. As she had her back turned to everyone but him, no one else saw the smile on her face.

But as she tensed her muscles to bring her weapon down, a loud noise exploded behind her. Summer spun around, prepared to defend herself, but saw only Ruby, who had her pistol pointed up at the ceiling and releasing smoke from its barrel.

"Someone get Doctor Oobleck," she said firmly, and one of the soldiers rushed out of the room. "Now. Isn't _anyone_ going to ask any questions?!"

"What questions, Ruby?!" Summer exclaimed angrily. "Ozpin just stabbed the queen!"

"Why?" Ruby posed. "He had plenty of opportunities before. Why now? Why not wait until he could do it quietly, with no suspicion on him? _Why_?"

Weiss got up and drew her rapier.

"If you won't let your mother do it," she said through gritted teeth. "I'll do it myself. And if you _dare_ to try and stop me, Ruby Rose…"

"You're making a big mistake," Ruby warned, then looked at Summer. "Mother, this is not who you are. Just step away…"

" _Not_ who I am?" Summer scoffed. "I'm the _Reaper_. I'm made for this, dear."

She turned and raised her scythe, but once again, Ruby pulled the trigger. Summer looked back at her, her face red with anger… And then something hit her in the back of the head and she stumbled forward, ears ringing and seeing double.

Ozpin dashed to the door, too fast for the guards to draw their pistols and shoot at him. Weiss made to go after him, but Ruby pointed her pistol at her as she backed away, shaking her head apologetically.

"I'm sorry, princess!" The redhead shouted, tears pooling in her eyes. "Just stay with your sister! I'm sorry!"

Ruby turned and ran. Weiss fell to her knees beside her sister as the guards left in pursuit.

Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder. Weiss looked up and met eyes with Summer. The Reaper had a compassionate look on her face, but she gripped her scythe restlessly, as if she couldn't wait to use it.

"She will be fine, my princess." Summer said.

"What about Ozpin?" Weiss looked down. "And your daughter?"

"…I'm going after them."

* * *

Ruby panted as she made it out of the castle by the front doors, holding her pistol in both hands. It was hard to keep any air in her lungs, and she felt blood dripping down the side of her head and over her ear. One of the guards had only barely missed her, the bullet grazing her skin instead of piercing her skull. Her leg injury from the Grimm attack had reopened, and each step became harder than the last.

Ozpin seemed in better shape, physically, at least. He seemed to withdraw deeper within himself every time he had to fight one of his own men, wielding Ruby's sword, as she had leaned it to him. Thankfully, most of the Guard was deployed at the walls and the breach, so their numbers at the castle weren't so big. Both him and Ruby tried to just knock the men out, but sometimes, they had to take harsher measures.

"G-general," Ruby spoke, stumbling towards him as he stopped to breathe for a moment. "What h-happened?"

"Your mother – Summer – she's not your mother," Ozpin said quickly, shaking his head fervently. He snaked an arm under hers and made a straight march forward, wanting to get them away from the castle as fast as possible. "The Summer Rose I knew, your real mother – she's been dead for years. That woman back there… I don't know who she is, but she has terrible powers…"

"Like what?" Ruby asked. "Did she kill the queen?"

"I don't know," the ex-general closed his eyes. "Not with that dagger, she didn't. Put her to sleep, I think. She might not wake up."

Ruby opened her mouth to ask another question, but she saw a man sneaking towards them from the right. The redhead freed herself from Ozpin and aimed swiftly. Her bullet hit the man's knee, and he fell down, yelling in pain.

She gritted her teeth and started forward again. They were now just below the castle walls, passing through the gates that led into the city below.

"What do we do, sir?" She muttered, voice so low Ozpin barely heard her.

"We run, Ruby," he said. "We run and…"

Steps echoed behind them, together with the sound of something steel-like rasping against the ground. Ruby looked back and saw Summer strutting towards them, dragging her scythe at her side. The girl let out a fearful squeal as she saw her supposed mother's silver eyes shift to red for a brief second.

"Ozpin," she whispered. "Go. I'll slow her down."

"That's preposterous, Ruby," Ozpin shook his head. "I'm not letting you take the fall for me. You're so young, I couldn't-"

"You're not my General anymore, so you can't boss me around," Ruby smiled and pushed him forward. "Just go! You know everything that happened, you'll do something about it!" She turned around and raised her pistol. "I won't die."

Ozpin froze, split between the need to defend his pupil and the reality of her words. When she looked back one last time, he saw the determination in her eyes… and Ozpin nodded and ran, vowing to himself that he would return.

Ruby took aim, her gun shaking in her hands. Her heart beat fast inside her chest as her mother came closer… No, she wasn't her mother – but she looked like her – but it wasn't her – but they had shared so much – but it wasn't her – but she had been so warm…

Then Summer's eye turned red, and Ruby's hands steadied. A loud explosion, and the bullet went piercing through the air, aimed right at the deceiver's forehead… and bounced off it and fell to the ground, harmless.

"Oh, it's that way now, I see…" Summer whispered, stopping right in front of Ruby and bending slightly to look her in the eye. "What perverse child would shoot their own mother? Didn't I teach you to be good, _dear_?"

"Stop it," Ruby stepped back and raised her pistol again. "You're not her!"

"You've been such a pest. I thought I had gotten rid of you ten years ago..." The Reaper smiled bitterly. "Do you know what happens to kids like you? The ones who try to play hero? They _sleep_ …"

Summer flicked her hand in front of Ruby's eyes, and the girl fell down, the world turning dark around her. As her consciousness faded, she heard her mother's laugh one last time.

"… and they never wake up."

* * *

 **...  
**

 _ **I told** **you**_. **"Blood and tears". I told you!**

 **This is pretty much the turning point of the story. We have our villain - Summer Rose. Except it isn't really Summer Rose? Who _is_ she? (my personal vote is on Zwei)**

 **A million questions appear before us. What will happen with Weiss? Will Ozpin be okay? How will Yang and Blake react to Ruby's fate? And, most importantly...**

 **WHAT ABOUT ARKOS?!**

 **These questions will be answered soon. Stay tuned, folks.**

 **(also I luv u)**

 **-Zeroan**


	11. Grief

"I'm sorry."

That's all she could say.

After all that had happened. After all the years of sacrifice, of shielding her from the world. After all the fights, all her petty defiance.

That's what their goodbye was reduced to.

"I'm sorry." Weiss bowed her head, holding her tears, and stood beside her sister's glass coffin.

Things weren't supposed to go this way. Her sister wasn't supposed to be resting in a coffin. She wasn't even _dead_. She was just… gone. Winter kept breathing, so softly, almost imperceptibly so, but still breathing. Her stab wound hadn't presented any major threat. Doctor Oobleck had said she could have held on for hours, possibly, if not for the poison.

If not for Ozpin.

Her whole body shook with rage and despair as she turned back to the door of the royal crypt. Her guards lowered their heads respectfully and followed, ready to defend her with their lives. She wouldn't take any chances anymore.

Ozpin, that snake. He had ruined it all – not only had he effectively ended Winter's life, but he had taken Ruby too. Her feelings towards her former bodyguard were mixed, but above all, she felt sad about the loss of what she had never realized had been a true friend.

As far as she knew, of course. Ruby had been close to Ozpin, after all.

No chances taken. Never again.

* * *

Blake approached the castle as the sun's first lights fell upon the city, piercing the snowy sky above. It was a bright day for winter, but for some reason, she felt terrible – worse than she had felt in weeks. Something was wrong, and she needed to learn what.

Ruby hadn't returned home the previous night. That was strange, but the faunus let it pass, figuring the princess had requested her stay nearby because of everything going on at the castle. However, when she woke up and Ruby still wasn't home, Blake decided to check things out herself.

Just as she crossed the archway below the walls, two guards stepped in front of her, spears crossing to block her passage. Blake's heart skipped a beat. This had never happened before.

"Identify yourself." One of the guards demanded roughly.

"Blake Belladonna."

"What is your business here?"

"I…" Blake paused, unsure of how to answer. "I'm a friend of the princess's bodyguard. I've come to check how she is."

The first guard looked at the other and sighed.

"Lady, there is no princess anymore," the second informed. "The queen is dead."

"Oh," Blake gulped. "Can… Can I come in?"

"Hmm," they shared a cautious look. "Fine. Don't try _anything_. Everyone's eager to spear someone today."

The guards uncrossed their spears. Blake nodded her understanding and passed between them, keeping her head low.

The queen was dead? How? And what did it mean for Ruby and Ozpin?

And Weiss was the queen now. So much had changed overnight…

The walk to the throne room was uneasy, with far too many soldiers casting glances at her, and her daggers, in particular. She resisted the urge to grab hold of her weapons, wanting to feel safer, but knowing it would only bring more suspicion to her.

Maybe a White Fang assassin had finally made a successful move. She dearly hoped that wasn't the case, or every dream she had would be lost forever.

When she finally arrived at the throne room and passed through its huge double doors, a half dozen spears were pointed at her, forcing her to freeze in place. Blake looked around fearfully, until her eyes focused on the throne at the very back of the room.

Slowly, Weiss stood up and walked towards her. Her rapier was different – it looked more regal, and of a whiter color – and she had a colorless scarf around her neck. Blake had read about that. It was a tradition of the nobler Vale classes to wear a single piece of clothing of such lack of color to mourn the passing of a loved one.

"Let her be. She is my guest." Weiss ordered, and the guards scattered to every corner of the room.

"Princess," Blake paused. "I mean, my queen. I am sorry for your loss."

"I appreciate that," Weiss replied neutrally. "Though I am not queen yet. The coronation will be held at dusk. We cannot allow the throne to remain empty, but it's imperative to follow proper conduct, in respect of my sister."

"Of course," the faunus nodded. "May I ask, where is Ruby?"

The future queen's face soured.

"If you would follow me." She said, and walked out of the room.

Blake followed at her side, not failing to notice the guards right behind them. Had queen Winter walked around accompanied by so many?

Weiss lead them through parts of the castle Blake had never visited before. The faunus quickly lost her sense of direction as she tried to make sense of the endless hallways, and found some respite in the numerous paintings on the walls. They were beautiful, and helped ease her worrying heart.

Finally, Weiss halted for a brief moment and lifted a hand, signaling for the guards to stay behind. She opened a door and entered a new room. Blake's nose twisted a bit as she followed. There was a strange smell in the air, of things old and decrepit, forgotten for centuries.

"This is the common crypt," Weiss revealed quietly. "We use it for servants of the crown who had no lands of their own to be buried at."

"What?" Blake's eyes widened. "You don't mean..."

"Here she is."

Weiss neared a platform, upon which rested a dark wood coffin with a top made of glass. Blake stepped closer, filled with dread, and looked down at whoever rested in it.

"No," Blake closed her eyes. "This can't be real."

"I'm sorry," Weiss muttered. "Ozpin betrayed us all. He stabbed the queen and poisoned her. My sister lies dormant to this hour, and she might never wake up. Ruby defended him. She lifted her sword and pistol for him, and he made it out of the castle with her help."

"And… and then?"

"He repaid her by poisoning her also. Rotten bastard."

Blake covered her face with her hands, but allowed herself to look between the cracks of her fingers. She felt like someone had taken hold of her heart and was squeezing it mercilessly.

Ruby did not look at peace. Whoever had put her to rest in the coffin had tried to make her look like she was, but Blake couldn't be fooled. She wasn't smiling. Her eyes weren't filled with her usual joy. She looked scared and sad, and that the worst of it.

Ruby hadn't just died. She had died alone and betrayed.

"But… She's breathing?" Blake spoke, trying to light some hope within herself. "She's not really dead, right?"

"She is, Blake," Weiss looked away. "There is no cure, at least none that our doctors know of. Perhaps, once you talk with her sister and mother, you could… Truly put her to rest."

" _No_." Blake tensed.

"That is not your decision," the white-haired girl objected firmly. "Lady Summer departed earlier to deliver the news to you and Yang. I didn't expect your visit."

Blake shook her head and turned around. She couldn't bear to look any longer.

Weiss stayed in silence, staring at Ruby for a long while. Her face displayed a multitude of emotions, but she held back from saying anything she might regret later. Finally, she joined Blake and laid a careful hand on her shoulder.

"I was hard on her, perhaps unjustly so, at times, but Ruby was very important to me," she said. "I don't believe anyone can quite replace her, but I cannot afford to leave myself open to outside forces."

"What's your point?" Blake asked. Her tone was a bit too strong to direct at a ruler, but she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.

"I would be honored if you would fill her previous position," Weiss explained. "Be my bodyguard. I need someone I can trust, and I trust you."

"I… am hardly trained at all."

"You're skilled enough."

Blake's first instinct was to refuse the offer, but she forced herself to give it some serious thought. She wouldn't be gaining much from it. A salary… She _had_ been wanting to acquire a job, anyway.

And Ruby had cared about this. Blake hadn't understood it fully, and Yang hadn't been shy with her opinions on the princess, but Ruby cared. She had wanted Weiss to be safe – to be happy, even.

"I will be your bodyguard." She decided.

"Good," Weiss crossed her arms. "Would you mind sleeping in the castle? I'm taking stronger measures now."

"I… guess that's fine," Blake nodded. "But I feel bad about Yang. She shouldn't be alone… not now."

Weiss shook her head and headed towards the door.

"We are all alone, Blake," she stated quietly. "We just have to find a way to deal with that fact."

* * *

Summer's eyes scanned her surroundings with mild interest. Such a small place, and a cramped one at that. Three beds had been assembled at different corners of the house, along with multiple desks and wardrobes and, surprisingly, some shelves struggling with the weight of dozens of books.

It was a quaint little place, she had to admit. Except for the cage at the very back of the room. Just looking at it made her eyes flare with rage and disgust. She had recognized Yang's naivety the first they had met, but this?

Simply disgraceful.

She was broken out of her musings when the door of the house opened with a loud hinging noise. Summer adopted a softer gaze and turned slowly, hunching her shoulders ever so slightly – she had just lost her daughter, after all.

"Summer?" Yang called confusedly, walking inside the house. "What are you doing here?" She frowned as she scanned the rest of the room. "Where's Ruby? And Blake?"

"Dear," Summer smiled sadly and pointed to a chair. "You should sit down for this."

The blonde complied immediately, plopping herself down on the chair with a fearful look on her face. Even so, Summer didn't miss how her fists also clenched – this might not go as easily as she wished.

"Yesterday," the redhead paused and looked away, as if it were difficult to find her words. "Ozpin requested a meeting with myself and queen Winter. Her Highness chose to grant him his request, much to my displeasure. I was right to mistrust him. The bastard stabbed and poisoned her in front of my eyes. She sleeps for eternity in the royal crypt, now."

"Alright," Yang shifted in her seat. She would usually dismiss these matters entirely. Royals and nobles could deal with their own problems. But she could tell something was amiss, otherwise, Summer wouldn't have bothered to visit and deliver the news herself. "What about Ruby?"

"She-" Summer closed her eyes and held a hand to her throat, holding back a sob. "She defended him. Of course she would, she was too – too pure. He escaped the Guard with her help, and then… then… He poisoned her as he did the queen."

The Reaper could practicality feel the tension in the air against her skin as Yang stared at her, unblinking and unmoving.

"What?" The blonde's voice was but a whisper. "She's dead? Ruby is... dead?"

The truest answer was _no_ – she was just cursed, asleep forever. But of course, that wouldn't help Summer much.

"Yes."

Summer watched the girl carefully, expecting an outburst, but Yang stayed silent, looking up at her. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her violet eyes glimmered, the hint of tears forming on her eyelids…

And then Summer was sent spiraling to the floor, one arm twisted in a hold behind her back. Something burned behind her, with the intensity of a miniscule sun. Summer would have smiled with pride if she hadn't had to keep her act up.

"How could you?!" Yang bent down to shout in her ear. "You let her die!"

"I tried to save her – I was too _slow_!" Summer pressed her forehead to the ground. "It's my fault. I know. I know… I found her lying beneath the walls. She looked s-so _scared_. I had to carry her back in my arms, to put her to rest."

"Stop. Crying!" The blonde roared. "You've got no _right_! This is your fault! You let her die!"

Summer braced herself, expecting the girl to unleash her wrath on her. She wouldn't be in any real risk, of course, but it would still hurt like hell. But, curiously, Yang instead let go of her arm. Summer rolled to look at her, caught off guard by the shift in their interaction.

"It's not all your fault, though."

Yang turned and storm out of the house, leaving fiery footprints behind her. Summer lay still for a few seconds before she understood what Yang's intention was… and she smiled to herself and let herself be comfortable in the ground.

* * *

" _SCHNEE!_ "

The doors of the throne room flew open, slamming against the walls at both sides, as Yang strode in. The air around her seemed to shine and spin around her, as if somehow she was drawing all the heat from her surroundings.

Weiss rose from her throne, eyes wide, and reached for her rapier. To her right, she saw Blake standing like a statue, looking at her blond-haired friend in panic. Every guard in the room stood to attention and raised their firearms in unisons, all aiming squarely at the surprise arrival.

The soon-to-be queen had a moment of clarity as she took it all in, her startled rage replaced by fear of what was about to happen.

"Don't-"

But she was too late. Her ears rang painfully as bullets exploded and flew through the air. She closed her eyes, not wanting to witness another death so soon.

"You're all useless," Yang's voice reached her like a distant echo. "No wonder you couldn't protect your queen."

Weiss opened her eyes and saw Yang standing a dozen steps in front of her. Bullets littered the ground around her, and she wasn't even _dazed_. The guards took aim again, but Weiss pushed her surprise aside and raised her hand in time to stop them.

"Don't shoot," she ordered. "I wish to talk to this woman."

"Oh, I'm so _honored_!" Yang spat, lifting her fists furiously. "Do you think I'm here for a _conversation_? You got my sister _killed_ , you spoiled little bitch!"

"I had no hand in Ruby's death," Weiss's gaze hardened. "I tried to stop her. Ozpin played on her feelings and betrayed her," she scoffed and looked away. "I encourage you to find a mirror and inspect your reflection. Perhaps then you'll notice who is responsible – who did _nothing_ to change who she was."

A long silence followed, during which Weiss had the opportunity to look back and notice exactly what she had just said. Stricken by guilt, she turned to face Yang again.

"I'm sorry. I have-"

Yang closed the distance between them and swung a fist towards her face. Weiss was too slow to react, but luckily, Blake was not. The brunette sprung to action, barely finding the strength to hold Yang's arm back, her teeth gritted determinedly.

The blonde blinked and shook Blake off her.

"Blake?" Yang stared at her in a mixture of confusion and outrage. "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't let you hurt her," Blake muttered shamefully. "I'm – I'm her bodyguard now."

"You… _you_ are replacing Ruby? Why would you even want this job?"

Blake's face paled and she took a step back. For a moment, she thought Yang would hit her instead, but then her mind turned to a more realistic fear – that Yang would reveal who she was, intentionally or not.

Thankfully, Yang seemed more disappointed than angry. The blond shook her head and turned around.

"I can't ask for forgiveness, Yang," Weiss said softly. "But you must know I _am_ sorry. I treasured Ruby very dearly."

"Thank the fucking Moon you let her know that, right?" Yang spat bitterly.

"…If you wish to see her, I will personally guide-"

"No."

Something in Yang's voice told Weiss she wasn't refusing out of pettiness or anger. No, it sounded instead like she wished to agree, but couldn't find the strength to do it. People had different ways of grieving – Weiss hadn't left her sister's side throughout the night. Perhaps Yang was the exact opposite.

"Schnee. I don't want to see your face ever again. You send anyone after me, I'll make sure they return limping and broken. That counts for Summer too," Yang lowered her head slightly. "And even you, Blake."

Without another word, Yang left the room, the lively fury of her entrance long gone.

Weiss fell back on her throne, holding her head in her hands. Blake shifted to her side silently, casting a peculiar glance that made her wonder if she too blamed her for Ruby's death.

"She didn't mean it. Not all of it," Blake stated quietly. "It was grief and fury speaking. You can't be blamed for what happened."

"I wish I could agree, Blake," Weiss shook her head, deciding that pitying herself would yield nothing good – at least for now, she couldn't afford to do it. "Will she go home? Perhaps I – after some time, of course – could do something to… help her?"

"I don't know," the brunette's eyes wandered to the open doors sadly. "I think she was being honest when she said we wouldn't see her again."

* * *

As the sun fell and the moon rose in its place, a large influx of people poured through the castle gates, coming from every corner of the city below. From the richest of lords to the poorest of handworkers, everyone wished to be present at the coronation of the new queen. It was, after all, a momentous occasion, and a welcomed distraction from their wintery affairs.

But with this passing of the line's more troublesome motives, the Guard had their hands full inspecting each and every one of them. For all they knew, an assassin could be hiding amongst the crowd. It would have been more convenient to just turn them all away, but the queen had spoken – she wanted to honor her sister in all capacities, and that meant allowing everyone into the castle to mourn and celebrate her name.

Thankfully, Jaune found himself in a slightly better spot than at the gates. Instead of interrogating the people, he was standing on the castle walls, his eyes scanning the horizon carefully. The White Fang or Ozpin, or both, might make a bold move and try to strike the throne again in the aftermath of Winter's murder.

It was tiring, especially for him. Normally, Jaune would quickly become bored standing watch, but after what had happened the day before – after what he had seen… His hands were sweaty, and he couldn't keep his mind focused, so terrified he was.

"Jaune?"

He shook himself briefly and look to the side. To his surprise, Pyrrha stood there, though she wore a formal dress and carried no weapons with her.

"Pyrrha," he said, avoiding eye contact. "It's nice to see you."

"I wanted to talk to you," she smiled kindly. "I know Ruby was your friend. Are you well?"

"Oh. Uh, yeah," Jaune shook his head. "As well as I can be. It's very… disorienting, you know? I hadn't talked to her that much these last months, not since she got that promotion. And now she's gone."

"I'm so sorry. I wish I had known her better."

Jaune nodded mutely. Pyrrha lingered there for a while, but soon started to turn back. Jaune raised his head and clenched his fists, gathering the courage to speak.

"Pyrrha, I'm sorry," he said. "I acted like an idiot. When I learned you were a noblewoman, I just… panicked, I guess. For no reason. It was stupid."

"It's alright," Pyrrha smiled. "I forgive you."

"Oh, good! Thank the Moon and… you know, all that stuff!" Jaune scratched his head nervously. "Do you worship the Dragon in Mistral?"

"Some do. I have no quarry with that," she tilted her head slightly. "I must go now. It would be unseemly to miss the coronation. I hope we can talk again soon, Jaune."

"We will."

Pyrrha turned and left, heading to the stairs that lead back to ground level. Jaune cursed under his breath, wishing he had told her about what he had seen… He would have to find her as soon as possible after the coronation.

Maybe it was for the best. He had yet to come to grips with it himself, after all.

* * *

There were so many people.

Too many people.

If she hadn't lost her strength before, she would certainly lose it now. How could she stand before them all, wear her dead family's crown, and swear anything to them? They would see not a ruler, but a scared little woman, just the next target to be painted red with blood.

How could she do it?

What worth did she represent?

Something brushed past her left ear, the comforting warmth of someone's else face.

"I'm right behind you, my queen," Summer whispered. "Don't be afraid."

Weiss closed her eyes for a moment, then started walking down the aisle towards Vale's throne. To her right and left, people gasped in amazement at her dress. It was a small comfort, seeing as her sister and mother had both worn it for _their_ coronations.

But amongst that, she also heard scoffing, laughter, taunting. She had to do her best to not fall to her knees and just stay there until someone carried her away to her room.

When she finally reached her throne, another sight brought her further strength. Right behind the majestic seat, hidden in shadows, was Blake Belladonna, a dark cloak concealing her pale skin and sharp daggers. Amber eyes met with the queen's encouragingly.

She turned to face the crowd, who slowly quieted down. Summer walked to the right of the throne, where the Council stood respectfully, and took the crown from Lady Goodwitch's hands.

The Reaper whirled around, her red cloak sweeping through the air, and returned to the fearful heiress. She stopped at her side, bowing her head slightly.

"Will you swear the Oath of Vale, Weiss of the house Schnee?"

The girl took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Let it be known, from this day forward;

That I shall wear this crown with pride and sorrow;"

Sorrow for her sister's early demise. Sorrow for her parents, who so little time she had shared with. Sorrow for Ruby Rose, whether her intentions had been pure or not. Sorrow even for Ozpin, who she had once held as an esteemed ally… and protector.

But pride? What had she to be proud of? The war that occured within her own kingdom? The lies whispered which she had never truly heard? The blood that tainted her land?

"That I shall defend my people from the evil within and without;"

Inside the walls, the White Fang cast a hateful shadow on her family's line, and Ozpin lead a mysterious league of assassins. She had done nothing when her parents had been murdered, and the same had happened with her sister.

And outside? The Grimm had breached the walls. So many people killed in a single night. Winter raged on, bringing death and despair with it. She could do nothing about it.

"That I shall be the only wounded in mine kingdom;"

The only wounded?

That was simply a lie. People had already died, and more would soon follow.

"That I shall leave last when the Moon sees fit to welcome us back;"

Perhaps she should be left behind. Did she deserve Paradise?

"So it is known;"

She paused and opened her eyes. Every pair of eyes in the room was fixed on her. Silence reigned.

She wished she could see the moon, high up in the sky, a lone bright point amidst never-ending darkness.

"And… so it shall be."

Summer smiled emotionlessly and lowered the crown on her head. It fit perfectly, but it felt rather heavy.

"Long live Queen Weiss." Summer bowed in front of her, and in waves, the crowd mimicked her.

Soon, everyone was on their knees.

"Long live the Queen!"

* * *

Yang fixed the cloth around her neck, then looked behind her, making sure the cloak wouldn't drag to the ground and get dirty.

It was a bright orange color, but it had lost some of its colorfulness over the years. It had been too long since she had last worn it. Her last gift from Summer, or so she had thought. It had helped to keep her warm while she drudged through the blizzard, fighting for her life and her sister's.

Ruby never stopped using hers. It was funny. Yang couldn't picture her without her cloak.

She held her tears and left the house, walking towards the east wall.

The breach hadn't been fixed yet. Dozens of soldiers stood guard there, armed with heavy firearms, made to take down the fiercest of Grimm. As she approached, Yang saw a pair of soldiers fighting off a pack of Beowolves, while the rest watched carefully, prepared to draw their weapon if matters got too dangerous.

One of them grabbed her by the arm when she tried to pass.

"Let go, please." She said calmly.

"Miss, you can't go out there," the soldier sounded genuinely concerned. "You'll freeze out there, and the Grimm… They'll tear you apart."

"I won't freeze. And they won't tear me apart," Yang smiled to him. "Trust me, I'm doing you a favor. You won't be facing too many of them after this."

He stared at her for a long while, dazed by her words. But she didn't look crazy; in fact, she seemed in perfect control of herself.

"Alright. But, our turns are all ending soon," he warned. "I'll wait for you to come back, make sure our replacements don't cause trouble when you come back."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not coming back."

She freed her arm and stepped through the breach.

* * *

 **Things are set in motion. Weeeee.**

 **Chapters have been shorter now. I'm sure that won't last, though. *sweats profusely***

 **I have a little question for you guys, concerning the writing itself. I noticed while I was proofreading this chapter that I often used "- stuff stuff -" in place of ", stuff stuff,". Overall, I don't find too much difference between the two methods, but... Maybe you feel otherwise? I "corrected" those occasions this chapters, except for when "- stuff stuff" was really appropriate.**

 **This is probably of no consequence, anyway. But there's always stuff to improve. Bleh.**

 **Fun fact: I freak myself out when I wrote the first line of the last scene. "Yang fixed the cloth around her neck," WHAT IF SOMEONE THINKS SHE'S COMMITTING SUICIDE. And then I realized people aren't dumb and everything was well.**

 **That wasn't such a fun fact. Sowwyyyyy.**

 **Ah, by the way, I have a new story going alongside this one. _Beacon Horror Story_. It's basically a slasher movie, except in BEACON, with RWBY AND JNPR. Yay, fun. Check it out if that's your thing. It'll be fairly short, and it's simple to write, so it's not taking time away from _Of Vale Blood_. **

**-Zeroan**


	12. Treachery

She had forgotten how it felt to truly be outside the walls. She had forgotten the way the biting cold fought to penetrate her skin in a fierce competition with her fiery aura. She had forgotten the shadows that kept circling around her, demonic beasts eager to catch a rare prey. She had forgotten the disorientation that came with being enveloped in eternal blizzard.

She had forgotten how it made her feel _alive_.

Drudging through the snow, fighting off Grimm after Grimm, Yang had no time to spare for thoughts. For now, she had no regrets, no tears – only the will to survive and get to her destination.

A whole week after she had left Vale, she at last saw the great stone house in the distance, high upon a snowy hill. A chimney released a dense trail of smoke that dispersed on the snowstorm, serving as a most helpful beacon.

"Hah," she emptied her lungs, realizing she had been holding her breath for a long time now. "There we go. Just a little more."

Yang tugged on her cloak and clenched her fists as dozens of Grimm gathered in front of her, as if they intended to block her passage to the house. Her eyes turned red and, with a fierce yell, she ran at the monsters.

* * *

"The Breach has been thoroughly secured, although actual restoration won't be possible until winter's end," Summer Rose reported dutifully to the Council, displaying a seriousness the other nobles were slowly growing accustomed to. "Temporary fortifications have been put in place. With that in mind, I have halved the number of soldiers stationed there and distributed them more evenly across the city."

"Excellent job, General Rose," Weiss tilted her head slightly. "And how fares our prisoner? Have you interrogated her yet?"

"I will do so as soon as this meeting is finished, my queen."

Lady Glynda cleared her throat and raised her head, politely drawing everyone's attention.

"In relation to that matter – bad news reached my ears this morning. Lord Olivius' estate was raided during the night," she informed gravely. "There were no survivors, and all of his slaves were freed."

"The White Fang," Weiss said icily. "This can't keep happening. It's the third attack this week only. They are growing more dangerous fast. Measures must be taken."

"I will take care of them," Summer assured. "The town Guard is far too lenient when it comes to faunus. That will change, and so the White Fang will understand their actions have _real_ consequences."

The queen nodded firmly, a glint of hatred in her eyes.

"This is all for today," she said, getting up from her seat. "Attend to your duties and report again tomorrow."

The council was slow to react, but Weiss pretended to not notice it. She knew what was happening in these meetings. She was being measured, and found wanting.

It wasn't fair. She had lost her sister and her trusted General just a week before, and they expected her to lead them flawlessly? All she could do was listen to their reports. She didn't _know_ how to rule.

"Don't be saddened, my queen," Summer stopped behind her, caressing her shoulder lightly. "Things will get better. Have patience."

"Thank you, Summer," Weiss replied immediately, dropping all formality in her solemn mood. "I will retire to my quarters, now. Blake."

She gestured briefly to her bodyguard and left the room. Blake emerged from a shadowy corner and followed quietly, her amber eyes constantly examining their surroundings. She looked back briefly, only to make eye contact with Summer, who watched her with an undecipherable expression on her face.

Weiss hadn't been lying about her intentions. In a matter of minutes, they arrived at her room, and she went to her balcony, resting her arms against the rails. Blake tried not to stare, but she could see how tired the newly declared queen was. It was as if all of her spirit had been drained away when her sister died.

But the faunus didn't say anything. She wanted to, but at the same time, she couldn't find the appropriate words to say. For all she knew, speaking might only upset Weiss further. No, it was best to stay silent.

Fate had other plans in hand, however.

"I can't do this."

Blake's ears perked inside her bow. It had been nothing but a whisper, but she had heard it perfectly. Hesitantly, she approached the downcast girl.

"Pardon me, Your Highness?"

"Nothing. It was nothing, Blake," Weiss refused to show her face to her bodyguard. "I was but speaking to myself. Don't waste your time worrying over me."

"All due respect… My _job_ is to worry over you."

Weiss raised her hands in a show of frustration, then pointed at the city below.

"The White Fang," she spat. "I wish they were gone. That's it, that's what I want. I would execute them all with my own hand."

"I…" Blake gulped. This was easily the worst possible conversation they could be having. "Perhaps you should leave that to Summer and her men."

"They _killed_ my parents, but that wasn't enough for them!" Weiss had lost all composure, her whole body shaking with rage. "They'll keep going until there's no one left. Filth. There's no doubt in my mind my own faunus would join their ranks in a heartbeat."

"Your Highness…" Blake's voice had been reduced to almost a whimper. "They can't all be bad. They _aren't_ all bad."

Weiss turned towards her abruptly, her face contorting with furious disbelief. Blake paled and took a step back, fearing she had made an incorrigible mistake.

Thankfully, she was saved from the queen's wrath by a faint knock on the door. Weiss' gaze softened somewhat as she called for the visitor to enter. Velvet, the faunus slave, stepped inside with her head bowed low. She brought a sizzling teapot and cups on a plate, much to Weiss' surprise.

"I didn't order anything." The queen said accusingly.

"L-Lady – Forgive me, General Rose ordered me to bring Your Highness tea," Velvet whispered in a panicked tone of voice. "S-she said y-you des-served something to soothe your nerves…"

"Oh," Weiss smiled lightly. "How thoughtful of her."

Velvet hurriedly poured the tea on a cup and offered it to the queen, who took it on her hands and brought it to her lips. It was warm and soothing indeed, making her release a sigh of satisfaction.

Blake watched it all in silence, feeling uncomfortable, as she always did when Weiss' slaves appeared around her. She had been training herself to behave normally in their presence, but it was difficult. In the back of her head, she did not want to succeed – if she started to feel at complete ease in the face of her kin's slavery, what would she become? A monster, just as evil as the slaver lords she hated?

For that reason, it took her a long time to notice Velvet had turned towards her, shaking slightly. The slave kept throwing her nervous glances, as if she was unnerved by the bodyguard.

"L-l-lady Belladonna?" She whimpered. "W-would you like some tea…?"

"Oh. S-sure," Blake replied, trying to keep her cool. When Velvet started to pour the tea, though, a guilt struck her like a tidal wave. "N-no, you don't need to do it. I can pour the tea myself."

"W-what?" Velvet's eyes widened. The tea kept flowing into the cup, as she was too startled to stop. "I-it's no matter-"

"No, I insist-"

Blake gripped the plate and pulled it, intending to take it from Velvet's hands, but the slave, caught off guard by the unusual situation, did not let go. The rabbit-eared girl lost her balance and tumbled to the floor, bringing along the pot and cups, which shattered beside her head. Tea spilled everywhere, falling off the edge of the balcony and down below.

"I-I-I'm s-so, so s-sorry-"

" _Animal!_ "

Weiss grabbed her arm and shoved her back into her room. Blake watched helplessly as the queen brought Velvet to her feet and gave her a hard slap that sent her down again. Velvet sobbed and hugged her own legs miserably.

"Don't wallow and cry!" Weiss exclaimed. "Fetch your _friends_ and get to cleaning this mess!"

Velvet nodded fervently and struggled to her feet, then hurried out the room, still sobbing loudly.

Blake stepped into the room, feeling sick to her stomach.

"It wasn't her fault," she muttered. "I did it. It was me."

"Not another word," Weiss whirled around to stare at her. "Unless you want to be disciplined too."

Blake flinched and looked away. For all intents and purposes, Weiss _had_ slapped her too.

Had this ever happened to Ruby? She had never told of any such incidents to her. Perhaps Ruby had kept them hidden in an effort to preserve a good image of her liege?

Or perhaps this was the first time something like this happened, spurred solely by Blake's presence. And she knew Weiss was stressed, prone to violent outbursts. She had lost so much over so little time.

Blake had lost Ruby, yet she wasn't taking her anger out on the queen.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," she said, doing her best to hide her bitterness. "If it would make you feel better, I could clean the mess myself."

"Are you out of your mind?" Weiss frowned. She wasn't angry, she just couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her bodyguard's mouth. "You will do no such thing. I wouldn't have even a commoner fix a faunus' disaster, and _you_ have risen from that position. Or should people stop calling you Lady?"

A hundred rebuttals rose to Blake's tongue, but she clenched her fists behind her back and kept a submissive expression.

"I thought so," Weiss glared at the messy balcony. "Where is she? I swear, if that bunny didn't do exactly as I ordered…"

Blake shut her liege's words out and went to sit in a corner of the room, trying to blend into the shadows, where she could be alone with her mental storm.

* * *

When she finally cut through all the Grimm, Yang felt like a human-sized oven. Even in the middle of the blizzard, the air around her shimmered from the heat she gave off, and the snow melted around her feet.

She looked up determinedly and started the arduous climb to the top of the hill. Without her natural abilities, the endeavor would have been impossible, as she had to go to her limits to find footing and not fall.

It felt like hours, but she eventually made it there. Yang huffed soundly, releasing some smoke from her nostrils, and drudged towards the house. She jumped onto the porch and relinquished in the sensation of not being buffeted by the snowstorm anymore. Then, she took a deep, calming breath and knocked heavily on the door.

A minute passed before it opened, but Yang's relief was denied her as she didn't recognize the person in front of her. It was a small girl – even smaller than Ruby – with unnaturally pale skin dotted with freckles. Her hair was a faint shade of orange with a pink bow at the back of it. Bright green eyes looked up at Yang inquisitively.

"Hello, stranger." she greeted in a weird, disjointed pace.

"Uh, hello," Yang blinked. "Do I know you…?"

"No. That's why we are strangers!" The girl declared as if she had had the most wonderful realization in recorded history. "My name is Penny! Nice to meet you, stranger!"

"Yang. Yang Xiao-"

"Oh! Yang Xiao Long! Mother and father told me all about you! Come, I will take you to them!"

Penny gestured agitatedly and took several steps back, giving her space to enter. Yang did so hesitantly. Either she had somehow gotten to the wrong house, or things had become _very_ weird since the last time she had visited.

But everything looked the same. A cozy interior filled with comfortable sofas, a huge fireplace, the stairs to the upper floor… The maze-like hallways that lead to the kitchen and the bedrooms… And, if she wasn't mistaken, the trapdoor that led to the underground laboratory.

"Father!" Penny called sweetly. "I made a new friend!"

Yang would have protested the statement, if she didn't find the little girl so adorable.

After a while, her _father_ appeared, and to Yang's surprise, she knew him. Lie Ren had grown a lot since they'd last met. He might be taller than her. He still had the same weird black hair with pink streaks, and the eternally calm nature to his eyes and face.

"Ah. Yang," he said, a smile gracing his lips. He extended a hand cordially. "What a pleasant surprise."

"It's nice to see you too, Ren," Yang shook his hand enthusiastically, then tilted her head in Penny's direction. "So, uh… you have a daughter now…?"

"Oh, I'm not her biological father, of course," Ren chuckled. "Perhaps it would be best if her mother explained. How about it, Yang?"

"That star-brained lunatic? Hell yes, take me to her!"

Ren nodded happily, then looked behind her, as if in search of something. Yang's enthusiasm withered.

Ruby.

"Come, friend!" Penny called, standing near the trapdoor. "Mother is in her laboratory!"

"Of course she is," Yang tried to recapture her cheerfulness with a forced smile. "You go first, Penny."

The little girl opened the door and dropped down. Yang followed suit, landing on a cold stone floor. She recognized this place, and it was still as creepy and fascinating as well.

Once Ren descended too, they started walking through the laboratory. Of course, that was not what it _actually_ was, but they couldn't find a better term for it. It was a naturally-formed underground cave, filled with waterfalls and glowing green crystals on the walls. Inventions were on display everywhere, from simple things like miniature catapults and multicolored potions, to things Yang could not even wrap her mind around.

And, at the very end, was the work table. A woman stood there, sweat running down the back of her neck as she brought a hammer down repeatedly on something. She had orange hair and green eyes, though these had yet to notice her visitors.

"Mother!" Penny shouted. "I made a new friend!"

"Did you now?" Nora looked to the side distractedly and finally saw them. Her hammer went flying into the distance, plopping down into the depths of the water around them, as she jumped to hug Yang. "Oh by the fairies and dragons and orcs and everything it's so nice to see you Yang this is so exciting I can't believe-" She took a deep breath. "Welcome!"

Yang laughed and hugged her in return, then took a step back.

"Ren promised me you would explain this adorable thing right here." She pointed at Penny.

"Ah! That's our daughter, of course!" Nora exclaimed joyfully, moving to hugging the little girl from behind.

"…Nora, that's impossible. You are eighteen years old; Penny looks to be twelve," Yang's eyes narrowed. "And, if nothing's changed, you and Ren aren't intimate enough to-"

"Not in front of her!" Nora shrieked, then looked at Ren, some seriousness appearing on her face. "Ren, I made Penny a new toy. How about you show it to her? It's in the Wonderful Display of New Toys for Penny."

Ren nodded and laid his hands on Penny's shoulders, then started guiding her away. She seemed more than happy to comply, probably because of the concept of a new toy.

Once they were out of earshot, Nora turned to Yang again.

"We don't like to talk about this in front of her if it's not necessary," she explained briefly. "Penny is a construct. It took me many long years, but I managed to build a human body made of metal and animate it."

"What?!" Yang exclaimed. "You… _built_ a person? That's impossible! I mean… does she have a soul?"

"Yes, sir!" Nora crossed her arms proudly. "A better soul than most people's, even," she tapped her chin absently-minded. "And she's also got some super weird powers. Like floating stuff and generating and discharging electricity."

"Electricity?" The blond frowned. "What's that?"

"Eh, nothing important. Discovered it last week. Don't even bother asking about it."

Yang shrugged, accepting Nora's response easily. She wasn't the mad inventor in the laboratory, after all.

"So, what drove you to come here?" Nora asked cheerfully, turning back to her current piece of work. She had to spent some time searching for a hammer, seeing as she had thrown the previous one in the water. "It's pretty much the peak of winter. I get you're hot as hell, but shouldn't it be a little uncomfortable? And where's Ruby?"

Nora finally found a hammer and started beating away. After a whole minute, she noticed she had received no answer and looked at Yang once more.

She had never seen her friend wearing that face before.

"Oh," Nora put her hammer down worriedly. "Uh… How about we go upstairs and get you some hot coffee to drink? Then we can talk."

"Sure," Yang muttered darkly. "Thank you, Nora."

The orange-haired inventor led the blond away, pushing her in the back. On the way to the exit, they passed by Ren and Penny. The construct was gasping in wonder at her new toy, a little bird made of metal that actually flew around in short loops in the air.

Yang almost teared up at the sight.

* * *

Summer Rose's steps echoed through the castle's hallways sonorously, a faint smirk on her lips. When she passed by her soldiers, they bowed their heads; when she encountered another noble, they greeted her with a degree of respect they'd never displayed before. She saw her influence grow stronger every day, and she couldn't remember ever feeling this good before in her life.

When she arrived at the queen's chambers, she knocked only once before going inside. Weiss was sat in front of her vanity table, brushing her hair. She was clad in her sleepwear, much to Summer's pleasure.

"My queen." She greeted calmly, closing the door behind her.

"General Rose," Weiss looked at her briefly. "I wasn't expecting a visit from you, especially at such a late hour."

"Forgive me. I only wanted to make sure you are well, dear," Summer approached her from behind, laying her hands on her shoulders. "It has been a stressful week for you. I can help you relax a bit."

"Hmm," the heiress blinked drowsily. "I shouldn't waste your time on me, General. You have suffered as much as I have recently."

Summer leaned down to whisper at her ear.

"Comfort goes both ways, Weiss," her lips brushed against the queen's skin. "What say you about it?"

Weiss froze, catching on to the general's real meaning. Summer had to hold back a smile as she saw the queen's face shift through many emotions in only a few seconds. First surprise, then anger, _want_ , and at last, embarrassment.

Just as she had planned. This Schnee was proving to be much easier to manipulate.

"You don't have to ashamed of it, _my queen_. We are all human beings, are we not? We seek solace wherever we can find it," Summer pressed gently. "Nothing needs to come of it. It'll be our little secret…"

"S-Summer!" Weiss' eyes darted away from the mirror in horror. "You just – We can't do that, n-not now! Winter, a-and Ruby-"

"Shh… They would want you to be happy… Just let go for a little while…"

Weiss was trembling now, her hands gripping the chair beneath her. Her mind told her this was wrong, unacceptable, disgraceful… But Summer's words were like a sweet melody, deafening her better thoughts…

Summer let herself smile and edged her head forward a little bit more, closing in for the finishing move. One little kiss, and the queen would be hers.

But then a shiver ran down her back and she looked to the side, towards the balcony. Two amber eyes examined her intensely, seemingly glowing in contrast to the nocturnal background.

Belladonna.

"The queen is going to sleep, General Rose. She doesn't want any more visitors," the faunus spoke clearly. "You should go."

"Of course," Summer stepped back and nodded, as if nothing had been happening between her and the queen. "Forgive me for my rudeness, Your Highness. I will leave so you can rest."

Summer met eyes with Blake, keeping her anger at bay with a gentle smile. How dare that faunus ruin her plans? If she could, she would squeeze the life out of her right then and there…

But she couldn't. Belladonna would have to be taken care of another way. Summer turned around and exited the room, her cloak concealing her dark expression.

The queen's room was heavy with silence as Weiss sat still on her chair, eyeing the mirror unblinkingly. Blake took a deep breath and approached her, laying a hesitant hand on her liege's shoulder.

"Are you alright, my queen?" She asked, truly worried.

"Yes," Weiss got up and walked to her bed. "Blake… Thank you. You saw and heard nothing."

Blake nodded mutely and went back to the balcony while the queen laid down on her bed with her heart beating fast and skin feeling uncomfortably hot.

* * *

"Hey! Pyrrha!"

The redhead's eyes opened suddenly when she heard that whisper. Looking around her room, she identified the noise came from outside the window at the wall opposite to her. Pyrrha rubbed her eyes sleepily and rose from her bed, then walked to the window and opened it.

"Hmm?"

"Pyrrha!" Jaune exclaimed in relief. He had been struggling to not fall from the narrow edge he had sidled on for a good time now. "Sorry! I know it's the middle of the night but – Oh."

His mind went blank as he looked at her fixedly.

"What?" Pyrrha frowned.

"You are – Uh, in your… sleepwear?"

She looked down at herself, confused by his reaction. What was wrong with her silk red camisole? She was forced to wear it due to the weather. In her homeland, she used to sleep in her undergarments only.

Pyrrha blushed. Good thing they weren't in her homeland.

"Well, I was sleeping," she defended herself meekly. "Come inside, or you'll fall down."

"A-alright."

Jaune climbed over the windowsill and landed on the floor of her room. He resisted the urge to inspect every little detail around him. Pyrrha crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.

"So," she spoke nervously. "Was there something you wanted to say?"

"Yes! Right!" Jaune's face grew serious. "I… I think there's something really weird going on here."

Pyrrha stared at him emotionlessly. Surely he didn't mean _here_ as in, her room? Or something between the two of them?

"I mean, in the castle," Pyrrha's distress was substituted by genuine concern as Jaune adopted a somber tone she had never heard before. "The day queen Winter was killed, I was stationed on the castle walls. I heard the commotion, but didn't know what was happening. Then, general Ozpin and Ruby came running from the castle."

He paused and rubbed his forehead, as if was about to say something he didn't quite understood yet.

"They stopped for a while and started talking," Jaune gulped. "Ruby was asking what exactly had happened, and Ozpin said… He _said_ her mother was dead, and that the Summer Rose we know, the general, isn't _actually_ Summer Rose."

"What?" Pyrrha stared at him harshly. "Jaune, you're not making sense."

"He said she put a spell on the queen, to make her sleep forever," he paused. "Ruby stayed back to buy time for Ozpin to escape. Then Summer reached her and…"

Pyrrha shook her head and sat at the edge of her bed. The whole revelation was disturbing and, frankly, outside the realm of anything she could have imagined… But Jaune talked with such emotion, she found it hard to just dismiss his tale.

Summer Rose. Pyrrha had heard her name several times as she grew up. A young rebel with a scythe, fighting for freedom and justice. Terror of the nobility, hero of the masses. And yet, when the mistralian arrived at Vale, she found the Reaper sitting in court with her supposed enemies. Pyrrha had always found that unsettling, but until now, she hadn't put much thought into it.

And Ozpin… She had known the moment she met him he was worthy of the tales people spoke of him. He was wise, strong and just. Not the kind to turn on his queen and pupil.

She could see now. It was all connecting so easily, and opening a new world in front of her. A dark world full of fear and illusions.

"You're saying she's a witch?" Pyrrha asked. "A witch disguised as Ruby's mother?"

"Yes," Jaune nodded. "I think so."

"Dragon's blood," the redhead swore, drawing from the Valesian vocabulary she had been surrounded by for the last few months. "And she's the High General now. She's got the entirety of the Guard under her command! And if she cursed the queen… Where does her ambition stop?"

"We should warn queen Weiss." Jaune stated firmly.

Pyrrha got up and shook her head.

"No. We have no evidence except for your words. I believe you, but that won't be enough against someone of her position," she explained. "And, if she's a witch… Couldn't she have some sort of influence on the queen?"

"Well, that's just… unfair," Jaune crossed his arms in frustration. "How are we supposed to reveal who she is, then?"

"I don't know. But we need to make sure she doesn't do anything to Weiss while we figure out a plan," Pyrrha said. "I'll talk to the new bodyguard – Lady Belladonna – tomorrow. Maybe I can get her on our side, since she was Ruby's friend. Meanwhile, you lay low, Jaune."

Jaune nodded silently, happy to agree with whatever course of action she presented. He was amazed by her quick thinking and resolve. Jaune couldn't plan a route to the castle kitchen, much less the outing of a trickster witch.

"But, uh, if you want," Pyrrha blushed. "You could sleep here. It's very late, and I don't want you to fall trying to return the way you came from."

"But… I'm a… And you…" Jaune stuttered, refusing to make eye contact.

"It's a mistralian tradition, don't worry."

Jaune was beginning to think mistralians had way too many strange traditions. Still, he was too nervous to argue with Pyrrha, so he started to lay down on the floor.

"No!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "We… We share the bed."

She laid down on the mattress and edged to the side until she was close to the wall. Jaune was struggling not to faint as he obeyed her wishes and laid beside her.

"See?" Pyrrha giggled nervously. "It's a nice tradition."

"It sure is…"

Maybe he should consider moving to Mistral…

* * *

Blake sat on the queen's balcony, her back pressed against a wall while she hugged her knees. Her eyes were closed, but she couldn't sleep. The events of the day kept replaying in her head – the accident with Velvet, and…

Why would Summer try to seduce Weiss? She had found her daughter, dead, just a week ago. Blake had recognized Summer was a carefree, even playful person, despite her past. But this… This was something else.

Blake found herself clutching her daggers' hilts, her hands shaking with fury. How _dare_ that woman disgrace Ruby's memory.

Her anger subsided somewhat as she heard a faint sound coming from Weiss' room, a door that was opening very, very slowly. Blake looked back at the room, expecting to see the queen woken and standing, but she was still sleeping on her bed.

A tall shadow distinguished itself in the darkness as a glint of metal shone beside the sleeping royal. Blake jumped to her feet, drew her daggers, and in the blink of an eye had them pressed lightly on the back of the intruder's neck.

"Move. Away," Blake warned slowly. "Lower your weapon…"

The intruder sobbed abruptly. A knife hit the floor loudly. Blake grabbed the assassin by their shirt and spun them around, slamming them to a wall. The moonlight made its way inside the room through the open balcony and revealed the stranger's face.

"Velvet?" Blake whispered. "What are you doing?"

"I-I'm sorry!" The slave yelped, then covered her mouth with her hands.

"Why would you try to assassinate the queen?!"

Blake immediately felt like a fool. Why would Velvet _not_ try to assassinate the queen? She should understand better than anyone else how the slave felt. In the past, if she had been presented with the opportunity of slicing her lord's throat…

"I'm sorry," Velvet repeated. "She told me to do it. She told me to do it."

"What?" Blake did a double take. "Who?"

The bed creaked behind them. Blake turned her head and saw Weiss sitting up, her blues eyes widening as she took in what was happening her room.

"What is the meaning of this?" The queen asked warily.

"Velvet made a mistake," Blake's eyes narrowed at the helpless faunus. She wanted to protect her, but there was no lie convincing enough to get her out of this mess. "She was standing beside your bed with a knife in hand. She dropped it when I confronted her."

"What?!" Weiss stood, clenching her fists. "This can't be happening. It's never enough, is it? When I think I'll finally have a night of peaceful sleep… It never ends."

Blake waited patiently, though she couldn't help but disdain the queen's attitude. She had hardly looked at Velvet, as if the faunus didn't even exist.

"What should I do, my queen?" Blake asked carefully.

"Tell the guards to take her to the dungeons," Weiss sighed. "She'll be executed tomorrow."

Blake gripped Velvet by the arms, but couldn't bring herself to move. Weiss stared at her, frustration blossoming into outright anger.

"Stop looking at me and do it!" She exclaimed. "Are you deaf? Do you have some condition you've kept hidden from me? Ruby was many, many things, but at least she wasn't _slow_."

The bodyguard's eyes sparked with hatred, and for a moment, Weiss thought she would lash out at her. But instead, Blake turned her face away from her and lead Velvet out of the room.

"Bloody faunus." Weiss fell back on her bed and glared at the ceiling, wishing she could shred something – or someone - with her rapier.

* * *

Yang's eyes rested on her full mug of coffee. Silence reigned in Nora and Ren's kitchen as they absorbed the last details of her tale. Penny sat in a chair, completely still, with a big frown on her forehead. She wasn't playing with her toy anymore.

"Oh, Yang," Nora hugged her friend tightly. "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to say, Nora," Yang muttered darkly. "Ruby's dead."

"Bones," the inventor cursed lightly, crossing her arms. "That can't be it. There _has_ to be a way to wake her up. Maybe I can make some potion, or-"

"No. Please, just stop." Yang interrupted. The last thing she wanted was to be fed false hope.

Nora wiped her eyes and looked away. Ren circled around the table and rested a hand on Yang's shoulder.

"You can stay with us for as much time as you need," he said. "But do you have anything on your mind? Any plans?"

"Yeah," Yang nodded. "I'm going to train. I'll go out there in the blizzard every day, until I'm strong enough."

"Strong enough for what?" Ren frowned worriedly.

"To come back to Vale and tear down that damned castle," she finally picked up her mug and took a long sip. Her eyes were red like fire. "And then I'll scour every corner of that city, and the kingdom, and the whole fucking world, until I find the bastard that took my sister away."

She slammed the mug down on the table.

"And then I'll kill him."

* * *

 **Damn, girl. If I were Ozpin, I'd change my name, my face, and the reality in which I existed. But, then, again, I would be Ozpin. He's supposed to be a badass in combat.  
**

 **I would like to inform you guys that I'm posting this a day before the Volume 3 finale airs. If I never post another chapter, it's probably because the episode was too much for me to handle and I died. Seriously, YANG LOST HER ARM HOLY SHIT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT.**

 **Ahem.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **-Zeroan**


	13. Duality

The door to the crypt opened slowly, light pouring inside the sacred resting place for a brief moment, before it was closed again. A pair of amber eyes shone in the darkness, approaching one of the many coffins on top of a small platform.

Careful to not drop it, Blake raised the glass top of the coffin and deposited it on the ground. Then, she jumped and sat on the platform, crossing her legs. A small plate filled with mashed potatoes and a glass of water were on her hands.

"Hey, Ruby," she whispered softly. "It's nice to see you. Sorry for not coming yesterday. Things have been a little… hectic lately."

She put the glass of water down and gently opened the sleeping redhead's mouth. Using a spoon, she scooped a bit of mashed potatoes and fed her. Blake had to move Ruby's jaw, but after a while, she swallowed.

Blake knew the queen hadn't understood her request at first. Weiss had ordered her sister and Ruby be fed regularly, but Blake had wanted to care for her friend with her own hands. Ruby had been kind beyond belief, taking her in when she had no home and risking her own life by bringing her to the castle… Blake couldn't let a stranger see to her out of obligation to the throne.

"Being the royal bodyguard is harder than I expected," she said. "I thought it was just about protecting the queen from assassins and the like, but… It's not just that. It's… hard, to adhere to her vision, to care for her when she…"

Blake shook her head and continued to feed Ruby in small amounts, sometimes giving her a sip of water between bites. She was happy to see Ruby didn't look sick. Her diligence was paying off greatly.

"Yesterday, there was an accident. Velvet brought tea and I caused her to drop it. Weiss slapped her, even though it was my fault… Just because she's a faunus," Blake told. "And at night…"

She didn't want to talk about Summer. If by any chance Ruby was actually listening, she would be distraught at her mother's behavior.

"Velvet slipped inside the queen's chambers and tried to murder her," Blake continued. "I stopped her. Weiss sent her to the dungeons, and she is to be executed today. Ruby, she's wrong. I _know_ Velvet wasn't going to do it. I just know. But Weiss will never see that."

The food was gone, and the water was reaching its end.

"I wonder what you would do, Ruby," Blake muttered. "You wanted to be a hero. But I doubt you ever considered that might lead to betraying your liege," she smiled shakily. "You cared about her to the very end."

Blake bent down and kissed the sleeping girl in the forehead.

"Bye, Ruby. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

The castle courtyard was filled with the sound of clashing steel and triggered firearms. Weiss observed the training soldiers from a safe distance, standing beneath the shade of a lonely tree. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were focused intently on what was in front of her, but she had little to say about it.

"This is good work, General," she said slowly, turning to look at Summer briefly. "They seem to be training well."

"Most of them have been in the Guard for years, so it's no surprise," the general nodded. "The new recruits should have some difficulty adjusting to their roles, seeing as they never had any combat experience before."

"Yes," Weiss frowned. "I still can't believe you managed to convince so many to join in _one_ visit to the town."

"Why, they didn't have to be convinced, my queen," Summer smirked. "They were more than eager to fight for you and their kingdom."

Ozpin had never accomplished something like this. Weiss guessed the Guard's numbers had almost doubled, if not more. Perhaps it was because the people knew the new High General wasn't just some noblewoman gifted by her birth…

But, then again, Ozpin hadn't been that either. He had probably never even tried, busy as he was plotting his schemes behind their backs.

Another person joined them under the tree's shade. Weiss turned her eyes and saw Pyrrha Nikos staring at the crowded courtyard with poorly-concealed surprise, and, if the queen was right… dismay?

"Lady Nikos," Weiss greeted cordially. "I haven't seen much of you recently. Have you been busy elsewhere in the city?"

"Your Highness," Pyrrha bowed for a second, her eyes darting to Summer, then back to the queen. "I've busied myself with keeping watch of the castle's defenses. Your Guard is already on it, I know, but I can't help myself. I'm a warrior at heart."

"Yes, you've proved yourself a valuable ally," Weiss agreed. "You were the one who took down the Golliath during the breach, after all."

"I helped a little." Summer piped up anxiously.

Weiss smiled slightly. Was that the general's attempt at boasting?

Pyrrha didn't look at Summer. Instead, her eyes wandered over their surroundings, examining every shadow and possible hiding place.

"Pardon me, Your Highness," she said hesitantly. "But shouldn't Lady Belladonna be with you? She is your bodyguard, isn't she?"

"I understand your concern, Lady Nikos," Weiss replied somberly. "She is busy right now. I gave her permission to look after Ruby's health."

"Oh," Pyrrha frowned. "I… I didn't realize… I'm sorry."

"It's alright. She should join us any time now. There is only so much a sleeping girl can eat…"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, my queen," Summer noted. "Ruby had quite the appetite. Even as a baby, it was hard to satisfy her hunger. We used to say she had a hole where her stomach was supposed to be."

Weiss smiled humorlessly. That did sound like the Ruby she remembered. She hoped Blake had prepared well for her new responsibility.

Pyrrha stayed silent for a great while, her eyes fixed uneasily on Summer. Weiss watched wordlessly, not understanding what was going on inside the mistralian's head. She looked at Summer, expecting her to appear uncomfortable or even angry, but instead, her expression was unreadable.

"I am sorry for your loss, General Rose," Pyrrha finally said graciously. "And I apologize for not saying this sooner."

"Don't worry about it. The whole kingdom doesn't revolve around me," Summer replied. "Now that you are here, would you like to give a demonstration to our soldiers? I think we could learn a lot from a mistralian warrior like you."

"I…" Pyrrha closed her eyes for a moment, her lips tightening as if she were in pain.

"Lady Nikos?" Weiss called worriedly. "Are you sick?"

"No. Just a slight headache," the redhead forced a smile. "I would be happy to give a demonstration."

Pyrrha took her sword and shield from her back and walked out of the shade, drawing the attention of the training soldiers. She started to talk to them, but Weiss didn't pay too much attention to her specific words.

"Something about her felt… off, don't you think?" The queen muttered.

"Perhaps it's the weather. Mistral is much, much warmer than Vale, even at this time of year." Summer noted.

"You've been there before," Weiss assumed. "With so much worldly experience, perhaps you too should impart some wisdom onto our soldiers?"

"Oh, it's one thing to visit a kingdom, another to be born in it," Summer smiled. "I assure you, Pyrrha Nikos will contribute much better than I ever could. And, who knows… Maybe I have ulterior motives for suggesting her leave us alone."

Suddenly, Weiss had the urge to look at everything but the woman beside her.

"Blake should have been back by now." She said uncomfortably.

"Like I said," Summer shrugged. "My daughter is a voracious one."

* * *

Blake took a deep breath as she approached the castle's dungeon. She kept telling herself there was no reason to worry or to feel guilty, but every time she passed by somebody, she felt a pressure in her chest, as if they were inspecting her very soul.

"I am to talk to the faunus prisoner," she muttered to the soldiers standing guard in front of the dungeon's door. "Queen's orders."

Her reputation as the royal bodyguard had spread quickly through the castle during the past week. The guards just took one look at her before allowing her to pass. One of them offered a lantern, but she refused with a simple gesture before entering.

Her eyes adjusted fast to the darkness of the dungeon. She climbed down the steps in the entrance slowly, her shoulders straight with tension. Silence reigned in the accursed place, save for her light breathing and an occasional sob some distance away.

Blake walked to the source of that noise. Her vision blurred slightly as she saw Velvet lying on the stone floor, hugging her legs and crying silently. A steel cage trapped her at every side.

A faunus in a cage. It brought back memories.

"Velvet. It's me, Blake."

The captive girl's ears perked up straight, and she raised her head slightly to stare at her visitor. Blake sat down at the other side of the cage.

"Are you… are you here to t-take me away…?" Velvet asked. "I don't want to die."

"No," Blake said sorrowfully. "Someone will be here to take you soon. But I want to talk to you first," her eyes straightened so she could examine Velvet better. "Last night, you said someone told you to murder the queen. Who was it?"

"I can't," Velvet shook her head. "She said she would cut me open and burn my ears off my head if I told anyone."

"Velvet," the bodyguard held back a sigh. "I know you're scared. I truly understand that. But if you don't talk, this person might get away with threatening other people. She might target the queen again, and next time, I might not be nearby to save her."

Velvet stirred. Blake's shoulders dropped as she assumed her cause was lost. How could she convince someone to talk when they were intended to not live to see another day? Why should Velvet care about the queen's life, when she was the one who dictated her execution?

But before she could walk away, Velvet sat up. Her entire body was shaking, but she had a fierce look in her eyes, as if she was desperately holding on to a newfound piece of courage within her.

"She approached me when I was going to sleep with the others in our quarters. It was almost midnight," Velvet muttered. "I was just walking when she pulled me aside, and I was sure I was going to die. Nobody walks the slaves' hallways for good reasons. A-and she started to tell me I should stab the queen. She handed me a knife, but I didn't want it. I don't want to kill anyone, ever."

"I'm sorry," Blake leaned forward. "Who was she? Did you recognize her?"

"Yeah. It was Lady – Sorry. It was _General_ Rose."

Blake's blood ran cold.

"She told me to stab the queen, and I just had to, even though I didn't want to," Velvet continued. "I wasn't going to _kill_ her. I mean, they would save her. Right?"

"Velvet," Blake swallowed dryly. "Are you absolutely sure it was General Rose?"

The rabbit faunus nodded slowly.

Why? What reason had Summer to send an assassin at the queen? But it wasn't even that. Velvet had made it very clear all was meant to happen was an _injury_.

This wasn't the time to ponder about that. Blake had a more pressing matter at hand. Wordlessly, she stood and unsheathed one of her daggers. Velvet's eyes went wide and she backed towards the wall behind her, ears flattening against her head.

Then, Blake gritted her teeth and brought the dagger down against the cage's lock. Metal shattered at the impact, and the door jarred open slightly. Blake took a step back and nodded.

"Wait a minute before following me," she said. "I'm going to knock out the guards outside, then I'll get you out the castle through the rooftops."

"What?" Velvet was shivering wildly. "W-why would you do that? Is this a trick?!"

"I'm like you, Velvet," Blake's ears twitched beneath her bow. "And I can't stand by and let you die because of what you are… what _we_ are."

The bodyguard turned and walked towards the entrance to the dungeon.

On the way there, she paused and looked at another cage. Emerald's.

It was empty.

* * *

"I mean, it's not like Atlas is that much warmer. But at least we don't have to keep a fire going twenty-four hours a day so as to not freeze."

Weiss nodded silently. If she opened her mouth, she knew Neptune would instantly realize how bored she was. When had their conversation become so… dreadful? Weeks ago, she would have killed to have an opportunity to talk to him.

Weeks ago, her sister was alive, Ozpin was her ally, and Summer wasn't making advances on her. Much had changed. Perhaps her crown had taken the place of her more youthful sources of joy.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to start talking about home," Neptune shrugged and looked out the window of his room. "I'm just tired of this forsaken blizzard. We can't see anything beyond the walls because of it. I hope it ends soon."

"You'll have to wait a few months," the queen said. "I won't lie and say I don't want the season to be over too… If only because then I won't need to listen about food production and rationing reports. These are always awfully dull."

"Sounds like they would be," he frowned. "I'm, uh… Really sorry about your sister. I guess I've already said that, but…"

"I appreciate it."

She didn't. Weiss couldn't find a damn corner of the castle where someone wouldn't stop her to deliver their condolences and well-wishes. Did anyone really expect those to make her feel better?

Neptune fidgeted in his seat and cleared his throat.

"Anyway," he said. "Did you visit just for a friendly conversation, or… anything else…?"

Weiss tensed. Bloody Moon, hadn't she rehearsed this in her head a thousand times already? She didn't want to do it, and she didn't try to tell herself otherwise, but she _needed_ to do it. Vale needed her to do it.

"N-no," Weiss could vividly imagine her sister shaking her by the shoulders for her incompetence. "I just needed to talk to a friend. Pardon me, I didn't mean to take so much your time."

"It's not like I have anything important to do here," Neptune smiled. "I'm always available, Your Majesty. Except for when the blizzard dies down. Then I'll hightail it out of here as soon as possible."

Weiss smiled slightly and stood up. Wishing him a good afternoon, she exited his room. As soon as she was out in the hallway, her chin fell and she clenched her fists in frustration.

What a fool. Was this how she would honor her family's legacy? Winter had always said she would need to rule one day, and insisted she be prepared for it. She had been right, and Weiss now felt like a helpless little girl.

"Something bothering you, my queen?"

Weiss almost jumped as Summer appeared beside her, silver eyes staring down at her inquisitively.

"G-general," she stuttered, taking a step away from the woman. "What are you doing here?"

"Seeing as how your bodyguard is currently nowhere to be found, I took it upon myself to see to your safety," Summer informed, then graciously gestured at Neptune's door. "Might I ask what you were doing in Prince Vasilias' room?"

"I was having a conversation with him."

"About?"

Weiss frowned. She didn't have to keep Summer informed of every action she took in _her_ life.

"I was considering-" Weiss paused. Why was she speaking? "I was considering a proposition that would benefit both our kingdoms. A marriage between him and I. Vale lacks someone to sit the throne in case of my death, so it is imperative that I choose a king and bear an heir."

"Ah. I see. Very wise," Summer's eyes seemed to shimmer for a split second. "And did you carry through with that proposition?"

"No," the queen looked away. "I don't wish to marry. Not yet. And not to someone I don't love."

The general smiled and put an arm around her shoulders, then began to lead her away from Neptune's room.

"Your sister thought the same way," she said. "Which, I must admit, was confusing to me. Winter was a very methodical, responsible queen. It was so strange that she insisted on not having a political marriage."

"Perhaps she thought it was for the good of the kingdom," Weiss noted. "Do we want a king who accepts a marriage to benefit himself or his own land? Vale has maintained itself free of outside ties for centuries, but the royal line has survived nonetheless."

"I think you're right, my queen," Summer nodded. "And you do not need to birth a child for the safety of your line. He or she wouldn't be old enough to occupy the throne for many years, anyway. The safest path to take is naming someone as regent in case of your death. Someone you trust, who has always been by your side."

Weiss stopped walking and stared at the general. The message could only be clearer if it was written in ink.

"But you needn't worry about these matters, my queen," Summer bowed exaggeratedly. "I will make sure you live long enough to hold your grandchildren's children in your arms," her eyes narrowed. "And Belladonna should work on that, too, as soon as she shows her face again. Perhaps the pressure of guarding you was too much for her. Poor girl."

"Perhaps," Weiss agreed mutely. "Thank you for your words, Summer. I will find the way to my room alone now, if you may."

"Of course, my queen," Summer kissed her on the forehead. "Always a pleasure."

* * *

"Pyrrha?" Jaune frowned as he held his friend's arm in concern of her falling over. "Are you sure you're fine? Should you be walking?"

"Yes. I'm just dizzy," the redhead took a deep breath and stood up straighter. "Dragon's blood. If Rose's wizardry has this effect on people, how come no one ever found out about it?"

"I think it's because you resisted it," he suggested meekly. "Because your mind's telling you to do something, but at the same time, not…?"

Pyrrha shook her head.

"Thinking about it will only make matters worse," she said. "Come on. We need to find Lady Belladonna before-"

"What?"

Jaune and Pyrrha turned around and saw the royal bodyguard standing in the middle of the hallway, frozen like an animal at a hunter's aim. She looked halfway ready to pull out her daggers.

"Lady Belladonna! Thank the stars we found you!" Pyrrha shook free from Jaune's grip. "We need to talk in private. It concerns the safety of the queen, and the whole kingdom."

Blake stood still for a few moments, seemingly considering the mistralian's words. Then, she shook her head and approached the pair.

"Do we need to find a room?" She asked quietly. "Because I don't have much time."

"Here's fine, we just need to keep our voices down," Pyrrha examined their surroundings briefly. Nobody else was passing through the hallway. "General Rose is a threat. She charmed Winter, and the council, and now she's always at the queen's side. We think she means to take the throne for herself, or gain complete control over Weiss' actions."

Pyrrha winced, immediately regretting her words. Her current state of mind had caused her to throw caution to the wind, when she otherwise would have taken a much safer approach. Now, Belladonna would probably think she was mad, and possibly report her to the Guard… and that would reach Rose's ears in no time.

"Wait," Blake said. "Do you mean charm, as in, magic?"

"Yes," Jaune replied before Pyrrha could. "She's not _the_ Summer Rose. She took her body, or something. She implicated General Ozpin and cursed Ruby and the queen."

"Wait, wait!" The bodyguard stared at him harshly. "Explain this properly."

And so, Jaune took to telling her about the day of Ozpin's supposed betrayal, and how he had overhead him telling Ruby about Summer's true nature. Blake's face paled as she heard of what was really behind her friend's current state. Then, Pyrrha interjected, telling her she had just been subjected to the general's magic herself.

"I knew what was happening. I knew she was charming me," the redhead spoke bitterly. "But I couldn't do anything. She said I should give a demonstration, and so I did. I feel sick."

"Damn. This is absurd, but it makes sense," Blake had a faraway look on her face. "I just broke a girl named Velvet out of the dungeon. She said Summer Rose told her to attack the queen during her sleep. It… all checks out…"

Her hands flew to her daggers.

"I'm going to kill that witch for what she did." She said venomously.

"No! We need to think about this," Pyrrha gripped her hands. "We don't know what she's capable of. For all we know, you could step into her room and turn to dust instantly. Before doing anything else, we need to protect the queen. She has to understand what is happening in her own castle."

"Yeah," Jaune nodded. "We should talk to her right now."

Blake shook her head.

"I'll do it. You two need to stay clear of Summer's sight," she glared at her own feet. "Besides, I've already betrayed the queen once today. If she doesn't believe me, I'll take the fall. If that happens, you'll still be able to fight."

Pyrrha shifted her weight between her feet anxiously. It wasn't like her to leave someone to face danger alone, but Blake's words rang true. In their current situation, no measure was too safe.

Blake nodded once and walked away determinedly. Pyrrha leaned against a wall with one hand. Her head still felt awfully hot.

"I hope this works out." Jaune said.

"Yeah," Pyrrha muttered. "I hope so too."

* * *

Weiss practically stumbled inside her room. Every step it had taken to get there had felt heavy, and she couldn't focus her mind on anything. It was like a fever, except these never came out of nowhere with no reason whatsoever.

She drudged towards her mirror and notice her skin was pale, even more so than it was supposed to be, except for her red-tinged cheeks. Her blue irises seemed to have shrunk somewhat.

Curses. On top of everything bad happening in her life, she was sick.

"Your Highness," Blake's voice sounded behind her. "Are you feeling fine? You look… bad."

Weiss turned around and saw the brunette girl sitting at the edge of her bed, worry expressed in her stare.

"Well, look who it is. My _bodyguard_ ," the queen rolled her eyes. "I hope you haven't turned Ruby fat. Did you feed her the entire kitchen's provision?"

"I'm sorry for my absence," Blake said seriously. "I had important matters to attend to."

"Yes, I'm sure, but I don't care," Weiss gestured dismissively. "You're fired. Feel free to visit frequently to take care of your friend, but I won't have you around me anymore."

Weiss turned back to her mirror, fighting to keep from collapsing. Summer was right. She couldn't have a bodyguard that was more worried about a sleeping girl's health than hers.

But Blake didn't move. Weiss watched her reflection with increasing anger.

"Dragon's blood, you _are_ slow!" She turned around again and pointed to the door. "Out!"

"Your Highness… Weiss. I think you're not in your right mind," Blake stood up and approached her. "Have you been talking to the High General?"

"Yes, I have, but I don't see how that is relevant both to my condition and your being insufferable!"

Blake took a deep breath and grabbed the queen's wrists gently. Weiss eyed her in silent indignation.

"Weiss. I need you to listen to me. I'm about to say some very absurd things, but they're _true_. Just. Listen," the brunette said. "The General is _not_ Summer Rose. She's some sort of witch. She took Summer's form to trick Vale's court. She charms people. That means she can influence them to see things the way she wants it. That's how she made it seem like Ozpin poisoned your sister and Ruby, when in fact, she cursed them to eternal sleep."

She paused momentarily to inspect the queen's reaction. Weiss was listening with the same furious expression, but she had yet to interject.

"That is also how she ordered Velvet to enter your room last night. That's how Winter named her as High General temporarily, yet nobody has questioned her title in weeks," Blake tilted her head to look Weiss in the eye. "And now she's trying to charm you. You know it. Last night, she got _this close_ to-"

A loud noise echoed through the chamber. Blake stumbled back, touching her stinging cheek. She couldn't see it, but she was sure the form of a hand was now imprinted on her face. Anger boiled inside her, but she held it back.

"I understand. It's a lot to take in and-"

"How dare you!" Weiss interrupted. "Did you honestly think you could come into my room and say to my face that my most trusted ally is a _witch_ and that she attacked her own daughter and my _sister_?!"

"What, do you think I'm mad?!" Blake exclaimed, losing her composure. "I'm putting my life on the line here, of course I'm serious! Why would I lie about Ruby's mother?"

"How should I know?!" Weiss scoffed. "Who knows, maybe you are so _obsessed_ with that girl that you can't stand the thought of there existing someone who is legitimately closer to her than you are! Is that it, _Belladonna_? Would you prefer if Summer had stayed dead?!"

"You take that back, you spoiled little-"

Weiss swung again, and this time, Blake fell to the ground.

Blake's vision wavered, the room spinning around her for a moment. Dazed, she stood up and look at the princess, ready to shout like never before in her life… and then she noticed two things. Weiss' eyes were focused on the top of her head…

… and her bow was lying on the floor, having been ripped off by the force of Weiss' slap.

"You…" The queen was barely audible. "You're one of them."

"No," Blake said. A second passed, and her gaze hardened. " _Yes_. I'm a faunus, _Your Highness_. All this time, you were just too blind to see it. Are you disgusted? Do you need to take a bath to rid yourself of my scent?"

Weiss drew her rapier, but before she could do anything, Blake swung with her leg, kicking the sword off of the queen's hand. In the blink of an eye, the faunus had both of her daggers pointed menacingly at her.

"I should have known," Weiss said through gritted teeth. "I suppose Ruby was aligned with Ozpin after all. Why else would she be your friend? Planting you right beneath my roof… Bidding your time until your White Fang friends gave the signal…"

"Stop it! I am sick and tired of hearing your kind talking about us as if we're animals!" Blake interrupted roughly. "You honestly believe you're better than me? You've never worked a day in your life! You think you're suffering because your sister died? Well, I'm sorry, but I've never known if I have any sisters, and I never met my parents! I lived in a fucking cage for seventeen years, starving, while you had a comfortable bed and food brought to you at a hand's gesture!"

One of her daggers pierced the skin of Weiss' chin, drawing a slight trickle of blood.

"You've been blessed with a perfect life, and you act like it's a burden!" Blake continued. "I just can't _stand_ looking at you. Ruby dedicated herself to protecting you and your kingdom, and you repay her by disgracing her name," she leaned closer to Weiss, their noses almost touching. "Well, guess what. I'm glad your sister is dead. I only wish she would have suffered more."

She smiled humorlessly.

"How does it feel, Weiss?"

And suddenly, she was knocked to the other side of the room, slamming against a wall. Blake gasped in pain as she looked down. Her torso was encased in solid ice, holding her in place and burning her skin at contact.

"What…" She looked at Weiss with wide eyes. "You're a witch too."

"Not exactly," Weiss pointed a hand at her. The air swirled around it, crystalizing and glowing with power. "It doesn't matter. You're dead."

Blake gritted her teeth and pushed forward. To her surprise, the ice broke easily. She rolled on the ground and leaped onto the queen's bed as a trail of ice whizzed just behind her neck, striking the wall instead.

The faunus landed back on the floor and ran to the balcony. If Weiss had been using only her rapier, she would have gladly taken her on, but now? She knew better than to fight a witch.

"Get back here!" Weiss shrieked. "Guards!"

Blake took a sudden decision and jumped off. Weiss gasped and ran to the balcony, expecting to see the faunus splattered on the ground below… but instead, she saw Blake running on a nearby roof, headed towards the walls.

The queen cursed and sat down on the floor as soldiers poured inside her room. Suddenly, all the symptoms she had been feeling before came back at once, making it difficult to even keep her head straight. She wished she could just fall asleep…

After many minutes, two hands fell on her shoulders.

"Weiss," Summer whispered. "What happened?"

"Belladonna," the queen mumbled. "She was one of them."

"A faunus?"

Weiss nodded.

"You look awful," Summer noted sadly. "Come. You can sleep peacefully for as long as you want in my room."

Should she take that offer?

"Thank you, Summer."

It was already taken.

* * *

" _Belladonna!_ "

Blake didn't stop moving as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, heading towards the common sector of Vale. Behind her, she kept hearing Summer – or whoever she was – calling out her name, and every time she did, it was closer and louder.

" _Belladonna!_ "

She came to a halt and hid behind a chimney, hoping she had been quick enough to avoid detection. Nearby, tiles shattered beneath someone's feet and… the air grew hotter?

"Belladonna. Come out."

Before she could even think, Blake stepped away from the chimney, becoming incredibly visible against the night sky. Summer stood on the house opposite to her, cape billowing in the wind, eyes blazing in the darkness.

"Good girl."

Fire trailed the air and struck Blake's front. She screamed in pain and stumbled back beyond the edge of the roof… and fell to the ground in a nameless alley.

* * *

 ***Insert sad violin music***

 **This was a fun chapter to write. And a painful one. Usually, when I focus on Weiss and Blake, it's because of Monochrome. Not here, though. That ship was never even projected in this universe.**

 **I am very excited for next chapter. It should be very good, and topical. Make of that what you will.**

 **-Zeroan**


	14. Descent

On the first day, a voice woke her, muffled and distant, as if she were on the bottom of the ocean and someone was speaking to her from the surface

"Your Highness?" She stirred and rolled her head to the side, eyelids pressing together fiercely. For some reason, she found it very difficult to open them. "Weiss. It's time to wake up."

The queen opened her eyes and sat up. Suddenly, she was feeling light and full of energy, the absolute contrary to herself five seconds ago. She looked around and realized she was in a stranger's bed, covered in soft white sheets. Standing to the right of the bed, fixing her famous red cloak around her shoulders, was Summer Rose.

"G-General," Weiss stuttered, her fingers clawing at the mattress beneath her. "Good morning…?"

"Indeed. By the Moon, Your Highness, I had no idea you were such a heavy sleeper. I was contemplating shaking you awake for a while there," Summer smiled. "Are you well rested?"

"…Very," the girl's eyes narrowed, her confusion and shame giving way to anger. "Why am I not in my own bed, General? Is this _your_ room?"

Summer looked at her and blinked, as if she wasn't understanding the underlying accusations in her words, but Weiss knew better than to believe in the act.

"Apparently, you take a while to _really_ wake up, my queen," the redhead said. "You had a… confrontation, with Lady Belladonna, yesterday. It turned to be that she was a faunus, most likely connected to Ozpin's treacherous plans. You chased her off, but were quite distraught after that."

"That does not answer my question," Weiss interjected seriously. "Why did I sleep in your quarters, _General_?"

"Oh. Oh! I-it's nothing like that, my queen, I assure you!" Summer laughed nervously. "As I said, you were distraught. I thought sleeping your own room, alone, where Belladonna… worked… Would be too much for you. So I offered my own bed."

"Well, where did you sleep, then?"

Summer's smile reappeared.

"On the floor, of course," she said. "Anyway. There's much to do today. First and foremost, we should arrange a new bodyguard for yourself, my queen."

"I am done with bodyguards," Weiss rose from the bed and skirted around the General, making sure to maintain as much distance between them as possible. "I can defend myself, and it's been more than proven to me that I cannot trust others with my safety. There is always an angle to be exploited, something they seek to gain by being close to me."

"Hmm, I cannot say I disagree with you. Being close to the queen of Vale is indeed something more valuable than can be measured in gold," the general nodded. "I suppose I shall look to your safety myself."

Weiss opened her mouth to protest, but Summer raised a finger and shook it.

"Don't argue. I'm your bodyguard now." Summer stated.

Weiss pursed her lips and strode out of the room. The Reaper fixed her scythe to her back and chuckled before going after her.

* * *

On the second day, they held a council meeting, and Weiss raised up the question that had been bothering her ever since her sister died. One of them, at least.

The council members' joy at the topic was obvious, if not a bit insulting. One word of hers about seeking a worthy king, and they began to throw offers at her, naming their eldest sons or, in more uncomfortable occasions, themselves. Weiss halted the discussion not an hour after, saying she would think about their words carefully over the next days. And then, the High General spoke up.

"I do not question the importance of there being an heir to the throne, gentlemen, but I believe it would be wise to explore other options aside from… well…" Summer shrugged. "Queen Weiss is of birthing age, but it would be hash for her to bear a child so soon. Vale needs a strong heir, but even more importantly, it needs a strong king too," she smiled to the queen. "Besides, she is young, and her sister's death is still fresh on her mind."

Weiss expected the council to protest that the queen's happiness was second to the kingdom's safety, but to her surprise, no one spoke up. In fact, some even nodded in accordance to the general's words.

"What would you suggest, then, General Rose?" Lady Goodwitch asked.

"There are many options. For one, the queen could name a regent to rule in her name in the event of her death or disappearance, until she is ready to marry and bear a child." Summer replied easily.

"And who could that regent be?" Glynda crossed her arms, as if she already knew the answer.

All eyes flew to Weiss at once.

"I am considering options," the queen said neutrally, then brought her chair back and stood up. "If you will excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. General, about that issue with the soldiers…?"

"Ah, yes. Let us go to the barracks at once."

Summer followed her out of the strategy room while the council members still discussed among themselves. As soon as they were in the hallway, Weiss turned around and glared at the general.

"You forget your boundaries, Rose," she stated. "Do you realize what effect your words have on my image? _She is young_. _She is not yet ready to marry_. How am I supposed to rule these people when you make me look like a helpless little girl?"

Summer smiled sadly and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't apologize for my actions, my queen," she said. "I could easily say I was trying to strengthen the kingdom, but that wouldn't be the truth, now would it?"

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked with a furious edge to her words.

"I said you weren't ready to marry and have a child, not because I would prefer you name a regent, but because I care for you," Summer explained. "The last thing I want is for you to tie yourself to someone you don't love."

Weiss's gaze softened. Truthful or not, Summer's words put her at ease, if only for a little while. It wouldn't be long before something horrible happened again, like an assassination or another breach, she was sure, but she couldn't live her whole life waiting for every disaster.

"I'm glad you're by my side, Summer." She said, smiling a bit.

"Where else would I be, _Snowflake_?" Summer laughed and started to mess with the queen's hair.

"Stop it! And don't call me Snowflake!" Weiss protested, stepping back and slapping the general's hands away, though her smile had only widened. "You really want to destroy my reputation, don't you?"

"The cute and sweet ruler reputation? I think I'm helping to build that one, really," Summer bowed mockingly and made distance between. "Let us see to that _soldier issue_ , hmm?"

Weiss nodded and started walking, her eyes showing a sign of happiness that she had been lacking for far too long.

* * *

On the third day, Lady Nikos pulled her aside as she moved from one task to the next. Weiss demanded to know what she wanted, but Pyrrha only shook her head and assured it was an urgent matter, all the while leading her to a corner of the castle the queen rarely visited.

"This is my room," Pyrrha said, opening a door and gesturing inside. Her eyes darted in all directions, as if she feared someone would spring out of the shadows and attack them. "I would be very pleased if you entered, Your Highness."

"You have given me little reason to do any such thing," Weiss crossed her arms stubbornly. "If something is troubling you, you should bring the matter to the Council during our meetings, or directly to me _in my room_ , if necessary."

"My apologies, but your room is not nearly private enough for this matter," the redhead swallowed dryly. "Does General Rose know where you are?"

Weiss stared at her for a long time before entering the room. She was surprised at how small and cramped it was, especially for a noblewoman like Pyrrha, but she was even more surprised to see there was another person in there, sitting on the edge of the lady's bed with his hands laced together above his knees.

"…Is he supposed to be here?" Weiss asked suspiciously as Pyrrha closed her door behind them.

"You've met Jaune already, haven't you?" The mistralian warrior frowned worriedly.

"Ah, yes. He did not know I was a royal… He thought I was Ruby's… girlie," Weiss extended a hand cordially. "It's a _pleasure_ to formally meet you, Jaune."

"Uh, yeah," Jaune shook her hand shyly. "Sorry about that."

"Water under the bridge," Weiss looked at Pyrrha. "Why did you drag me here?"

Pyrrha and Jaune shared a significant look, as if both were silently trying to convince the other to speak up. Weiss stood by, tapping her fingers against her arm impatiently.

"I don't know how to say this, Your Highness," Pyrrha said slowly. "There is a traitor in your court. I'm afraid she wants to take your throne."

"What?" Realization dawned upon Weiss. "Wait, do you speak of General Rose?"

"…Yes. She's a witch. She can enchant people with words, and who knows what else she can do," Pyrrha spoke faster, gathering her courage. "She painted General Ozpin as a traitor. She cursed your sister and Ruby. And now I can only imagine what she did to Lady Belladonna."

" _Lady Belladonna_ claimed the same things."

A moment of silence passed as Weiss stared at nothing in particular, eyes wavering with emotion. Jaune reached with his hand to touch her arm, but suddenly, she sprung to life again and walked to the door.

"I will forgive your slander this time," the queen said icily. "But speak another ill word of my General, and I will have both of you thrown in prison."

"Weiss-"

"Not. Another. Word."

Weiss exited and slammed the door behind her, her heart beating quickly in her chest.

How could this be happening? Two sources now claimed Summer Rose was manipulating her with magic. One had been Blake, and she had been a faunus who had tried to kill her. Weiss hadn't given a second thought to her disparate words.

But Pyrrha Nikos? The mistralian had been nothing but honorable and cordial during her visit to Vale, and had defended the town from the Grimm when she had had no obligation to.

"No," Weiss whispered to herself and gripped her rapier by the hilt. "Nobody can be trusted. Nobody."

* * *

On the fourth day, Summer brought a basket of fruit to her room and they lunched together. They sat on the balcony and watched the city from above while the sunlight pierced through the nebulous sky and shone on their faces.

"Where did you get these?" Weiss asked, taking an apple from the basket. "They look too good to have been grown in winter."

"Your assessment is correct, my queen, but you'd be surprised at how well fruit can be preserved if you put your mind to it," Summer said. "The farmers wouldn't tell me what they did, of course. Trade secret. Could be magic, for all I know."

"Hmm. Can magic sustain a population through winter?" Weiss smiled bitterly. "If yes, I would like to have a word with those farmers about their selfish ways."

"Spoken like a true queen."

Weiss took a bite of her apple and looked at Summer. The general hadn't eaten anything yet, seemingly content with only staring at the city.

Weiss fidgeted in her chair, a rush of differing emotions overwhelming her. She couldn't take her eyes off of Summer, and she couldn't quite tell why. Maybe it was the suspicion that Pyrrha's words had woken inside her; or the simple comfort of having one person she could connect to in the mess she was living in; or the way Summer's eyes seemed to shimmer beautifully against the sunlight, and how the skin of her neck showed when she bent forward, so pale and unblemished, and how her tunic…

Weiss cleared her throat.

"I've… never met anyone with eyes like yours before, General," she said, hoping Summer hadn't noticed her staring. Dragon's blood, how long had she been like that? Five, ten minutes? "Aside from Ruby, of course. Is it a trait from wherever you come from?"

"Wherever I come from? You wound me, my queen," Summer straightened in her chair and put a hand to her chest, sighing dramatically. "I was born in Vale. Not the capital, of course, but within the kingdom's borders. A little village named Patch. Doubt you ever heard of it."

"Oh," Weiss looked away embarrassedly. "I always assumed you were from another land, seeing how… legendary, you are."

"No, ma'am. I'm of Vale blood, through and through," Summer smiled. "Legendary, you say? What sort of legends do you speak of?"

The queen resisted the urge to groan. It had been years since this last happened, but Summer had a habit of pressuring her into sharing the stories of her adventures as she'd heard them. For all her other qualities, Summer was awfully vain.

"You know what I mean," Weiss sighed. "The Reaper, the Flame, the Wall, the Shadow? Your little band of rebels and ruffians?"

" _Ruffians_?!" Summer gasped. "You do wound me! …Tell me more."

"…No," Weiss smiled deviously and crossed her arms. " _You_ tell me more. How old were you when you became the Reaper?"

Summer frowned and looked at the sky, tapping her fingers on her chair, as if she were counting mentally.

"Fifteen, I think," she said slowly. "A group of bandits took our village and forced us to work for them, and… other things. I picked up a scythe and went to fight them. Luckily, I had some friends to help, or else Summer Rose would be _Dead Rose_ right now."

"Bandits?" Weiss frowned. "I thought they were knights of Atlas…? And that's why you were so determined to fight the kingdoms afterward?"

"Huh?" Summer blinked. "No. I'm fairly sure they were bandits," she shrugged. "No wonder I'm a legend. People have really embellished my deeds over time."

"Hmm. So you went on and brought terror upon Lords and Ladies everywhere," the queen grinned. "When did you have Ruby?"

"Twenty-two," Summer replied immediately. "Taiyang – excuse me, _The Wall_ – was very happy about it."

"And how did Yang Xiao-Long come to be?"

Summer picked an apple from the basket and took it to her mouth. She ate slowly, eyes turned away from the queen.

"I'm sorry. It must be a sensitive topic to you." Weiss said guiltily.

"Don't worry about it. You were just curious," Summer took another bite of her apple. "But I don't wish to discuss that matter. Are you enjoying the apple?"

"It tastes as good as it looks."

"Must be the magic."

They spent the next minutes in silence, eating their respective fruits. When Summer was done, she turned on her chair and leaned towards Weiss, silver eyes fixed expectantly on her.

"So, I have shared stories with you, stories that people would kill to hear from the lips of the Reaper herself," she said. "Now it's your time to share."

"You know everything about me, Summer," Weiss scoffed. "What stories have I to share that you don't already know?"

"A good point," Summer nodded. "I was thinking you could show me some of your magic."

Weiss tensed, feeling very cold all of a sudden. Summer's eyes bore into hers, her lips curving upward ever so slightly in that mischievous way of hers.

"As you said, I know everything about you, Your Highness," Summer said smugly. "I knew before ever going near any Schnee, in fact. There are places in this world, Weiss, libraries old and forgotten, with knowledge you couldn't even imagine."

"But… That can't be! Our magic is the most well-kept secret in the kingdom! In the world!" Weiss stood up furiously. "Where _exactly_ did you learn about my magic?!"

"Alright, alright! Calm down! Take a seat."

Summer gestured to the now empty chair, and Weiss sat back down begrudgingly.

"I was joking. There is no old library or anything. Your sister told me about the Schnee's magic," the general explained. "Now, I know what you're thinking! In what plane of existence would _Winter Schnee_ share such an important piece of information with a measly rebel like Summer Rose?"

"Yes. That's the gist of what I'm thinking," Weiss nodded. "Excluding the measly rebel bit."

"I guess Winter just trusted me not to go around telling the people of Vale that their rulers could freeze them to death if they wanted to," Summer said. "Since the kingdom is still standing and there were no public outcries about witches and demons, I'm of the opinion she was right to trust me."

Weiss frowned, still perturbed by Summer's knowledge of her magic. She really doubted Winter would give away the secret… Even Ozpin hadn't been told. Had Winter valued Summer even more than the High General himself?

The queen took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She extended her hands in front of her, palms facing the sky, and felt the temperature dropping around her. Shivers ran down her back. When she opened her eyes again, they were shining with a faint blue light. The air had crystalized above her hands, making meaningless figures made of thin ice that constantly shifted in size and form.

Summer watched in silence. She had stopped breathing, vision fixed on the supernatural display in front of her. Squinting her eyes, Weiss could swear she saw the High General of Vale shaking.

Weiss closed her hands and hung back on her chair. Summer blinked and glared at her.

"Why did you stop?" She asked harshly.

"Sorry. I saw you shaking and thought you were cold." Weiss explained.

"No, I was… excited, I guess," Summer laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "I should be the one apologizing… Forcing you to show your magic for no reason at all, getting upset when you stopped…"

"Well, I asked you about the child your husband had with another woman, so I believe we're even now." Weiss smiled.

"Spoken like a true queen," the general got up. "I suppose it's time to do some actual work. You know how it is. Soldiers to train, prisoners to interrogate."

Weiss nodded and gestured towards the door. Summer bowed briefly and headed towards it, but halfway there, she was stopped by a call from the queen.

"Yes, Your Highness?" She turned around, smiling. "A last minute question about my daring _ruffian_ adventures?"

"No," Weiss looked away uneasily. "Before she died… Were you sleeping with my sister?"

Summer stared at her impassively for a moment, then bowed again and left the room.

Weiss took another apple and eyed it emotionlessly. Summer hadn't answered her question, but she knew the truth. As much as she tried to force herself to be angry, though, she couldn't manage it. No, she was feeling something else entirely…

Jealousy.

* * *

On the fifth day, Weiss watched Summer Rose and Pyrrha Nikos duel.

The challenge was posed by the mistralian noblewoman when Weiss and her general finished a discussion with one of the Guard' lieutenants. The queen was furious, but she couldn't punish Pyrrha. While she had prohibited Pyrrha from speaking ill of Summer, she hadn't said anything about challenging her with seemingly honorable intentions.

Summer was caught off-guard by the challenge, but she accepted it without pressuring Nikos for answers. It was widely known that duels of such fashion were common among the noble houses of Mistral.

Room was cleared in the training courtyard, and a crowd quickly formed as word of the duel spread through the castle. The nobles and soldiers were eager to watch the fabled Reaper and the mistralian who had taken down a Goliath fight.

"Are there any special rules for these duels?" Summer asked casually as she untied her cloak. "I assume you won't just shoot me in the forehead as soon as the opportunity arises."

"That won't be a problem. Rifles aren't weapons meant for dueling," Pyrrha threw her rifle to Jaune, who was standing at the sidelines with a worrying expression on his face. "I will use my lance and shield only."

"Good. Crescent Rose has seen little action as of late," the general grinned and extended her arm to the right, holding her loose cloak at that hand. "My queen, if you would be so kind?"

Weiss sighed and took the cloak, then seated herself on a nearby bench.

"Do we have your blessing?" Summer asked smugly, her eyes never fleeing from Pyrrha's.

"Yes, yes," Weiss said exasperatedly. "You have my blessing for this meaningless duel. Finish it and then we can get on to actually _important_ matters."

"That's culturally offensive," Summer noted. "But Your Highness has spoken. Lady Nikos, are you ready?"

Instead of answering verbally, Pyrrha dashed forward, stabbing with her lance towards Summer's chest. The Reaper brought her scythe up and clashed it against the mistralian's weapon, effectively blocking the attack. Pyrrha swung her shield at her foe's face, but Summer moved aside and made distance between them.

"Neither of us want to fight at such close range," Summer noted cockily. "But I doubt you'd like for me to have room for my scythe."

"Don't presume to know me, Rose." Pyrrha retorted, once again dashing towards the general.

Summer swung her scythe horizontally, intending to force Pyrrha to a halt, but to her surprise, the mistralian jumped above the weapon's trajectory and kicked at its end. Summer gasped as she lost her grip on the scythe and it fell to the ground, but before she could pick it back up, a foot struck her in the nose, sending her crashing down.

Pyrrha landed above her and brought her lance down fast. Summer rolled to the side just in time to avoid having her skull pierced by the weapon. The crowd gasped in fright, and Weiss almost rose to her feet to demand the duel be halted.

"I realize now we set no limits regarding the intent of our blows," Summer said, breathing raggedly. "But that's only because I didn't think you'd try to bash my skull like that."

"Pardon me. I knew you would dodge the blow," Pyrrha explained neutrally. "You are the Reaper, after all, aren't you?"

Summer's eyes sparked with fury.

"Would you hand me my scythe?" She requested as she rose to her feet. "I won't hold back anymore."

Pyrrha froze for a second, not long enough for most surrounding to not notice, before picking up Crescent Rose and tossing to Summer. Her head turned to Weiss for a moment, a clear message on her eyes, before she faced the general again.

This time, Summer took the initiative, swinging her scythe fiercely in a diagonal arc. Pyrrha raised her shield in time to block, and her whole body shook at the impact. She felt a dent form on her shield, poking at her knuckles painfully.

"No holding back, indeed." She muttered, then tossed the shield at Summer.

The general sidestepped and the shield bounced off a pillar behind her. Recognizing the mistralian was now almost defenseless, she closed the distance between them and swung again.

Pyrrha watched the scythe coming towards her neck as if time had slowed down to a crawl. Her eyes wandered to Summer, and she noticed how the general had put all her weight into that single blow. The mistralian's lips quivered into a smirk. With a simple kick to her ankle, Summer went tumbling down, her body crashing painfully to the floor. The crowd hissed in sympathy.

Pyrrha's smirk didn't disappear as she eyed the general's still form. Normally, she would never taunt a fallen opponent, but she felt vindictive against the treacherous witch who had taken her freedom away several times now.

"I'm disappointed," she said. "Growing up, I heard so many tales of the Reaper and how her scythe was the most feared weapon in the world. But now I see they were only that – tales. Perhaps you could cut down a bumbling bandit with your Crescent Rose, but anything more…"

Summer stirred and rose to her knees, one hand suddenly closing around Pyrrha's right ankle. With a powerful tug, she brought the mistralian down, smashing her back against the floor.

Pyrrha's mouth flooded with blood and she realized the sudden attack had made her bit down on her own tongue. She spat red on the ground before lunging at the general, swinging a fist at her face. Summer rolled with it, a sickening cracking sound echoing through the courtyard. But to everyone's surprise, the High General seemed unaffected by the blow, as she responded with an equally powerful punch. Pyrrha's head banged on the floor, the world spinning around her in a blur.

Summer rolled above her, straddling her hips. Pyrrha looked up dazedly, and through the hazy veil that had formed on her vision, she saw two red eyes staring down at her like twin living flames.

Summer raised her fist, grinning viciously…

" _Enough_!"

Summer blinked, her eyes turning back to their usual silver coloration, and looked to the side. Whispers ran rampant among the nobles, and the queen was standing, hands clenched and shaking at her sides.

"My queen," Summer said mechanically, and stood. She offered a hand to Pyrrha, who took it reluctantly and rose with her help. "Are you well, Lady Nikos?"

"Dazed. My ears are numb," Pyrrha mumbled. "That was a powerful punch, General."

"I could say the same about you," Summer cracked her knuckles. "I must apologize. My skill with the scythe is indeed rusty. Perhaps we could have a rematch in a month's time, once I've done something about that?"

"Perhaps."

Pyrrha tilted her head to the queen briefly before stepping towards Jaune. The blond soldier examined her from head to toe, speaking in low tones. The mistralian looked about to collapse.

Weiss watched the two for a while before turning her gaze to Summer. The general had a curious look on her face, as if her mind wasn't truly in the courtyard with her queen.

"General?" She called. "How are you feeling? You should have Lord Oobleck tend to your injuries."

"Hmm?" Summer blinked. "Oh, there's no need. A good night's sleep should fix me up."

"It's midday, Summer," Weiss noted worriedly. "You can't carry yourself like that until nightfall."

"So says the queen of Vale," the general smirked, regaining a little of her usual attitude. "I promise you I won't collapse."

"It's _your_ well-being…" Weiss sighed. "You should never have accepted that challenge."

Summer rolled her eyes and snaked an arm around Weiss's shoulders.

"And let the Council think I was too much of a coward to face Nikos?" She asked. "Besides, now you know how capable of a bodyguard you have. No one's getting near you with me around."

"I suppose you're right, but still, you are _not_ my bodyguard. Not officially," Weiss shifted her weight uneasily, examining the general's unbruised face. "Dragon's blood. How are you standing after all of that?"

"What can I say," Summer winked. "I roll with the punches, my queen."

* * *

On the sixth day, she visited her sister for the first time since her coronation.

Winter looked beautiful and serene in her coffin, just as she had been in life. It was difficult to see and think of her like that. Alive, dead. She was sleeping, but Weiss couldn't fool herself into thinking she would wake up.

"Sister, I'm sorry I haven't seen you for a while… I… hope you've been having good dreams," she muttered, sitting on a chair beside the ornate glass coffin. "A lot has been happening, so I've barely had any time for luxuries. This castle feels more like a snake's nest than a home now."

She watched Winter's face, waiting for a reaction, but, as expected, there was none.

"I… I wish you could talk to me. I need your help," Weiss continued meekly. "You always told me to be ready for the throne, that one day, I would have to take your place. I never really listened, it just sounded… Well, like everything else you ever said. Wise, cautious, responsible. I guess I didn't appreciate that until it was too late."

"It's been brought to my attention twice now that Summer Rose might not be who she claims she is. I find that… very hard to believe. They claimed she's a witch of some sort, that she's manipulating the court and wants to possibly take the throne for herself," Weiss smirked. "So you understand why I'm skeptical, right? Summer, an evil witch? She's always been there for me, and… and for you too."

Weiss sighed and rubbed her forehead. She felt a headache coming, the kind that was caused by the holding of tears and tormenting emotions.

"I promised myself that after Ozpin, after Ruby, after Blake, I would trust _nobody_ ," she said. "But if I cast Summer aside, who's left? I-I'll be all a-alone."

She stood up suddenly, knocking her chair to the ground. Her eyes stung and her shoulders shook beyond her control, but she refused to cry.

"I just wish you hadn't left me."

"…Goodbye."

* * *

On the sixth night, someone came knocking on Summer's door, and when she opened it, the general found the queen of Vale standing in the hallway, her blue eyes shimmering with tears. Shivers ran down Summer's arms as she pulled Weiss into her room. The girl felt as cold as ice.

"Weiss?" She put her hands on the queen's shoulders. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Weiss shook her head. "I just need someone to talk to."

"Oh, dear…" Summer smiled and touched her on the cheek. "You can always talk to me."

* * *

On the seventh day, Weiss once again woke up in an unfamiliar bed.

"You're awake," Summer's voice came from behind her. "How are you feeling?"

Weiss turned and met eyes with the general. Her cheeks reddened as she realized neither of them were wearing anything, only the sheets of the bed covering their forms.

"I-I'm…" The queen stuttered. "I'm… fine."

"Thank the Moon," Summer chuckled. "I'd feel humiliated if you said anything else."

"S-Summer, d-did we…?"

The general raised an eyebrow at her. That was enough of an answer.

Weiss closed her eyes and heard her heart racing in her ears. What did this mean? What should she do? She could barely think straight, and to make matters worse, she could practically feel Summer's gaze fixed on her with heated intensity.

"Well, we can't lay around all day," Summer stood and gathered her cloak from the ground. "This is an important day. It would be wise to hand the document to the Council as soon as possible."

"Document?" Weiss opened her eyes. "What document?"

"The one you signed last night, naming the graceful Lady and High General Summer Rose as the emergency regent of the kingdom of Vale?" The redhead smirked smugly. "Damn, I must be really good if you forgot about something as important as that."

Weiss' blood ran cold as the memories came rushing back. They felt like a distant dream of deeds done by another person. A sick feeling came over her, along with a splitting pain on her head.

"Your Highness?" Summer called, now fully clothed. She stared down at her with what seemed to be worry, but Weiss could swear there was a sign of malicious mirth on her eyes. "Are you truly feeling fine?

"…Yes," Weiss gulped. "Just… Nerves, I guess. We did just, you know… Would you fetch me my clothes?"

"I would be delighted!" The Reaper smiled. "Now let's see, where's that skirt…"

Weiss blocked out the rest of the general's words. She looked at the ceiling without truly seeing anything, feeling as if she had fallen down a well with no method of climbing back up.

 _Let it be known, from this day forward;_

 _That your queen is a hopeless fool._

* * *

 **Welp. Who wants to name that ship? SnowSummer? SummerFlake? I wouldn't reccomend shipping them here, of course, seeing as how one of characters is an evil treacherous witch and the other is practically a rape victim. (I just realized this is disturbingly dark. Weeeeeelp...)  
**

 **Serious time, though. I actually debated with myself a lot about whether I should have Summer's seduction succeed at a physical level. In the end, I chose _yes_ , mostly because it makes this whole part of the story more believable. Weiss is vulnerable; Summer really fucking wants to be named regent. It's logical that Summer would resort to the deepest levels of manipulation possible. Also, I think you guys are mature enough to not condemn me for writing that (it's not like there was actual smut anyway. It would be a disaster if I even tried).**

 **You know, in the wake of all that depressing talk, I realize I have an awesome opportunity to self-plug! If you like _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ , you might want to check _Avatar: the Legend of Remnant_ , by yours truly. I can 100% guarantee that story contains 100% more rainbows and happy feelings than this one! Yaaaay!**

 **And, yes, we'll learn what's going on with Blake and Yang soon. I haven't forgotten about them. (And Velvet too, though she's not as important as them. Short version, she made it to the town. Long story, you'll learn later.)**

 **Also, I feel obligated to write a BONUS ALTERNATE REALITY SCENE.**

* * *

Weiss cleared her throat.

"I've… never met anyone with eyes like yours before, General," she said, hoping Summer hadn't noticed her staring. Dragon's blood, how long had she been like that? Five, ten minutes? "Aside from Ruby, of course. Is it a trait from wherever you come from?"

"Wherever I come from? You wound me, my queen," Summer straightened in her chair and put a hand to her chest, sighing dramatically. "I was born in Vale. Not the capital, of course, but within the kingdom's borders. A little village named Patch. Doubt you ever heard of it."

"Oh," Weiss looked away embarrassedly. "I always assumed you were from another land, seeing how… legendary, you are."

"No, ma'am. I'm of Vale blood, through and-"

Suddenly, a masculine voice boomed from the sky.

 **DING! Roll credits!**

"What?" Weiss looked up at the sky. "Dragon's blood, what in the blazes was that?"

"My queen?" Summer frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you not hear that voice? That annoying, shrill noise, like a bell?" Weiss asked in panic.

"I'm... afraid not," the general leaned towards her, examining the queen's eyes. "Are you feeling well?"

Weiss took a deep breath. Perhaps she had been stressing herself far too much recently, and imagined that voice. She squirmed in her seat, feeling Summer's intense look on her, and realized that-

 **DING! Scene does not contain a lap dance.**

"What?!" Weiss glared at the cloud once more. "What the hell is a lap dance?!"

"Weiss," Summer smiled shakily. "I think you should lay down. Perhaps you're cold. I'll give you my cloak to warm yourself..."

 **DING! Summer Rose is not my girlfriend in this scene.**

"Summer, please tell me you're also hearing that man from the sky!"

Summer stared at Weiss, unblinking, then slowly stood up. If this was the queen of Vale, she didn't want anything with her anymore.

"Wait! Summer!" Weiss called as her general strode towards the door. "Don't go! Nooo-"

 **DING! Summer Rose is a dick to Schnees.**

Weiss took a deep breath and started to cry.

 **DING! Sin counter: 4. Sentence: Sleep forever.**

* * *

 **So that was a thing. If you understood the reference, yay. If not... Well, you're probably very confused right now.  
**

 **Just remember: BONUS. ALTERNATE REALITY. SCENE. NOT CANON. Good? Good. Now bye.**

 **-Zeroan**


	15. Departure

Broken.

That's how Blake felt when she finally woke up. Her head hurt tremendously, as if something had been drilled inside her skull, making it difficult to form any coherent string of thoughts. She tried to move her arms, but pain surged through her entire body, ceasing the effort immediately.

And worst of all, she couldn't see anything.

"Oh, hey," a vaguely familiar voice reached her ears. Right, left - she was so disoriented, it was impossible for her to tell where it came from. "She's finally awake. About time. If she'd taken any longer, I might have killed her out of mercy."

"How sweet of you," another person replied, and this time, Blake recognized them as a man, at least. "Go fetch the… urgh, _boss_. He said he wanted to talk to her as soon as she came to, right?"

"Right. And what are _you_ going to do?"

"I am going to have a nice little chat with her. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not at all. Have fun."

Blake heard a door opening and someone leaving, just before a chair was dragged on the floor next to the bed she was lying on. The unpleasant noise made her grit her teeth and curl her legs in reflex.

"Sorry, kitty. Your ears must be sensitive, right? I don't have much experience with your kind, you see, so forgive me if I do anything to aggravate you," the man said charmingly. "I am Roman Torchwick. It's a _pleasure_ to meet you, Lady Belladonna."

Blake frowned. Where had she heard that name before? She tried to sit up, but her strength failed her again, and she fell on her back again.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Roman chuckled. "Let's focus on getting your eyes open first. That sound aggreable to you?"

"W-whe… where…?" She croaked. Her throat and mouth were dry, making it difficult, if not a bit painful, to speak. "Why…?"

"All good questions, though I'd appreciate a _thank you_ first of all," he sighed. "Here, let me help you."

She froze as two fingers touched her eyes and not so gently opened them. The faint light of a torch burned her eyes, and she had to blink several times before she felt well enough to keep them open.

The man seated by her side was still a strange to her. He had visually striking orange hair and an unusual round black hat on top of his head, but she still couldn't recognize him. Something about the way he stared at her while playing with a wooden cane on his lap made her feel very uncomfortable.

They were in a room illuminated by a single torch only, it walls made of the blackest stone Blake had ever seen. She would have guessed to be in some sort of noble castle, but she could see that water trickled on the walls and ceiling, which meant the building was probably at the mercy of outside elements, and no Lord or Lady would be happy with that.

"Now, to answer your questions!" Roman spoke again. "Where? Fort Blacknight," he sighed. "Trust me, I did _not_ come up with that name. As for _why_ … I don't understand the meaning of that question…?"

"Why… am I here?" Blake elaborated further.

"Ah. Well, we found you broken on a dark alleyway, surely the victim of some unspeakable villainy," he explained, and she sensed he was keeping most of the truth from her. "We don't like to see faunus like you in such poor conditions, so we took it upon ourselves to save you. How about a thank you now?"

Blake only stared at him, lips pursed warily. Roman shifted in his chair, clearly bothered by her cold response.

"How long have I been out?" She asked.

"Depends on how long you were in that alleyway," he said. "We found you nine days ago. The doctor said your injuries could have been inflicted _days_ before that."

Blake's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She didn't buy his lies for a second. She couldn't have survived more than a day after Summer struck her down.

Summer.

Everything came back to her suddenly – how Summer wasn't truly Summer; the magical scheme that pervaded in Vale Castle; Velvet; Weiss learning that she was a faunus and trying to kill her.

And then falling. Her eyes wavered and her arms trembled. She wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and stay asleep forever.

"Woah, ease there, kitty," Roman waved his hands at her. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I need to go." Blake said. She sat up, and this time, stayed that way.

Ruby was still at the castle, sleeping, defenseless. Any moment now, Summer could conjure a reason to have her gone and kill her supposed daughter. Blake had to get her out of there before it was too late.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Roman said. "First off, you're in no condition to walk, much less go trotting out into the streets. Second, there's someone who wants to talk to you."

"I don't care," Blake gripped the sheets of the bed beneath her and glared at him. "Thank you for saving me, but someone more important than your _boss_ needs me."

"This isn't up to discussion. You're staying," he interjected, his voice deadly serious. "You shouldn't fret. Maybe your intentions will align, if you play your cards right."

Blake was about to try and get off the bed, but the door to the room opened. An ebony face peered inside, green eyes examining her for a brief moment, and Blake recognized who they belonged to. Emerald Sustrai.

Then, someone else entered, a man so tall his head almost touched the ceiling. His hair was red as fire, and a mask covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes and below his nose visible. A huge sword hung down the side of his right leg.

"Blake Belladonna. My name is Adam Taurus," he spoke. "I have a proposition for you."

* * *

Weiss sighed in frustration and put her book down. She pressed her forehead against the old wooden desk in front of her and flicked her hand distractedly, blowing out the candle she had been using to read beforehand.

Vale Castle's library wasn't the largest or most famous in the world, but it would be ignorant to say it was lacking in any manner. For centuries, scholars had traveled to the north, wanting to experience the cold of the kingdom for themselves, and with them they brought books, scrolls and other interesting artifacts. Those had been all stored at the library, so it contained information from all over the world.

And yet, Weiss couldn't find anything relating to Summer's _supposed_ magic. There was no record of witches who could enchant people to do their will by word alone, much less assume a dead person's form. Every time Weiss thought she found something worth of her attention, it quickly derailed into tales of dragons or other such nonsense – and the authors seemed to believe them as much as she did.

She told herself repeatedly that it was foolish to seek such information in the first place, that she was letting Blake's and Pyrrha's unfathomable claims get to her, which was probably their intention in the first place. Strike at the queen's securities, make her doubt her closest ally, then take her down. Perhaps everything was a plan from Mistral.

But, as much as she tried, she couldn't lie to herself. There _was_ something wrong about Summer, something she had never noticed until her sister died. She found herself lingering on the general's every word, and every move of her body had Weiss entranced. And underneath all that, there was something hidden, and she had only a faint idea of what it was - a primitive hunger for power and control.

"Ridiculous," she whispered to herself, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Dragons and fairytales. She's not a witch."

It was easy to think of the day Summer had changed as the day Winter died, but from Summer's perspective, that was the day _Ruby_ died. The daughter she had thought she had lost a decade ago, who she had reunited with for so little time… taken away and betrayed like a meaningless pawn. Weiss might not be comfortable with the way Summer was grieving, but she certainly couldn't condemn her for it.

"Or maybe you're just finding excuses to let it go on, Your Highness." She smiled ruefully.

Aside from the terror and self-loathing that came with waking up on Summer's room every morning, it wasn't too bad. If only she could shed away her fears, Weiss could… grow accustomed to that odd relationship.

"Your Highness."

Weiss almost jumped to her feet, so startled she was to hear someone else's voice so suddenly. She had scoured the library before getting to her research, and had found no one there. Had she been so absorbed in her books that she hadn't noticed a new arrival?

She looked to the side and saw Lady Goodwitch standing there, a dusty old tome in her hands, wearing a concerned expression on her face. Weiss was momentarily taken aback. She had never seen Glynda look anything but judgmental or impassive.

"Are you feeling well?" Glynda asked. "There are dark rings around your eyes, and your face looks paler than usual."

"Is that so?" Weiss touched her own cheek self-consciously. "I must have been here longer than I expected. Has lunch hour passed yet?"

"The Moon has reached and surpassed its peak already, my queen." Glynda frowned.

"Oh. Well. I… have been here longer than I noticed," the queen swallowed dry. "I suppose I should eat something and retire to my room."

She stood up and returned her book back to the shelf it belonged. Hopefully, it was too dark for Glynda to read its title. _A History of Witches and their Nefarious Dealings_ was probably not something a proper queen should be sinking her time into.

"General Rose was asking after you," Glynda told neutrally. "She seemed very worried about your well-being."

"I swear I am fine, Lady Goodwitch," Weiss sighed. "I only wanted a day away from court. Everything is a mess. Surely you can understand that?"

That had been too curt of an explanation, Weiss realized after she gave it, and not in any way appropriate for someone of her station. She couldn't have days for herself, no matter how difficult it was to deal with the Council, the White Fang, and everything else. She was the queen, after all.

"I understand," Glynda nodded. "Have a good night, Your Highness."

"Thank you," Weiss made to walk away, but stopped briefly when a thought popped into her head, something that might actually alleviate her worries in a concrete manner. "Speaking of General Rose. Has she succeeded in getting information from the prisoner?"

"Emerald Sustrai?" Glynda tilted her head slightly. "I'm afraid not. But she's trying very hard."

"Yes. Of course she is," Weiss frowned. "Good night, Lady Goodwitch."

* * *

Adam dismissed Roman and Emerald soon after introducing himself to Blake, leaving them alone in the dingy wet room she'd awakened in. Blake kept her eyes trained on the tall man, afraid that he would take action on her, but he only stared back with little emotion.

"Would you care to listen to my proposition?" He asked.

"…Go ahead," Blake answered cautiously. "I don't have a choice anyway."

"You do, though I would be very displeased if you refused," Adam crossed his arms. "I am the leader of the White Fang, the force who rescued you from near-death. I know who you are, Belladonna – or, more appropriately, _were_ , for a while. The royal bodyguard…" He smirked. "I would like you to join our revolution."

Blake kept staring at him, taking in his words in silence. Her first instinct was to flee, but that soon faded. The White Fang had been her enemy before, a name spoken with ire and disgust in Vale Castle, yet she had never had reason to actually hate them. If anything, they were her allies.

But what exactly was the White Fang? A bunch of assassins, thieves, kidnappers, fighting in the name of faunus liberty. And, apparently, her saviors…

It was all too confusing.

"It's a lot to take in. I don't expect you to answer immediately," Adam said, then gestured to the door. "Would you take a walk with me? There's something I need to show you."

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Blake asked. "You could just drag me to a dark corner and do whatever you want with me."

"Watch your words," he warned, eyes narrowing in anger. "I did not rescue you to hear thinly-veiled accusations. If you won't listen, someone can show you the way to the streets."

"…Sorry," she looked away. "I'll do as you say."

She turned and extended her legs beyond the edge of the bed, slowly laying her weight down. Her feet touched the floor gently, sending jolts up her legs, and when she let go of the bed behind her, she went plummeting down helplessly. Before she collapsed fully, a hand wrapped around her right arm and brought her back up. Blake looked around faintly and realized Adam had dashed to her side in the blink of an eye. He was looking down at her with such intensity, every hair in her body was standing up straight.

"Your injuries have healed, but it will take some time for you to recover your full strength," he said. "I'll help you walk. Are you comfortable with your current clothing?"

Blake looked down. She was still wearing her black leather uniform she had been given by Weiss, but it was singed and torn in some places.

"I can live with it."

"I'll make sure you get a proper change after our talk," Adam assured. "Let's go."

He guided her out of the room and into a series of narrow hallways. Blake kept her guard up, even as she saw other people – faunus, in fact – cross their path. They gave her and their leader curious looks, but otherwise seemed more focused on other tasks.

Adam didn't speak a word as they walked, which only made Blake more nervous. There was an intensity about him, as if every action he took had a definite purpose, whether it be his steps or a simple look at her.

Finally, they arrived at short stairway. Blake looked up and saw that the steps lead into the open, as the sky was visible above. At least now she knew it was night, and if the worst came to pass, she could try running away, though she would probably not make it very far in her current condition.

They climbed up the steps and arrived at their destination at last. Apparently, Adam had led her to the fort's open roof. From there, she could see most of Vale. The light of candles and fireplaces showed in nearly every window in every house, making the city like a mirror of the sky – dark with bright spots spread within it.

"This is what you wanted to show me?" Blake asked.

"Yes. I want to tell you what I fight for. What you should fight for," Adam said, letting go of her arm and joining his hands behind his back. He walked to the edge of the roof and looked into the distance. "Do you know how many faunus are out there, Blake?"

"No. I don't have the slightest idea."

He smiled sadly and tilted his head slightly, inviting her to stand beside him. Blake gathered her strength and complied. Luckily, she didn't collapse again.

"Few. And if I were asking about the _free_ faunus, the ones not imprisoned in some Lord's castle… _Too_ few," Adam said. "We are the pillars of this nation, Blake. Without the faunus, Vale would have nothing. No economy, no strength… nothing. Our sweat and blood built their kingdom, and yet the humans treat us like animals. I can't stress how unjust that is. Do you feel the same way?"

"…Yes," Blake replied, her voice barely a whisper. "I was a slave for most of my life."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You'll find that most of ours started the same way," Adam paused. "I, too, was a slave. You wouldn't know it, but I am a faunus. They used me to work their planting fields and fix their machines. When I showed rebellion, they tore my horns off my head."

Blake winced. She could only imagine how painful that would feel. Her ears were already sensitive to a simple touch. If someone were to…

She gulped and shook her head, not wanting to linger on those thoughts.

"I want to free them all, no matter how long it takes. But I won't stop at that," Adam stated. "Once we're all together, we'll take back Vale. Make no mistake. This is _our_ kingdom, and its throne belongs to the faunus."

"And you want me to help you," Blake said. "But why? You have no reason to trust me."

"I have every reason to trust you," Adam corrected. "The humans enslaved and betrayed you. Your heart burns with the desire for vengeance, I know it."

Blake closed her eyes and clenched her fists. In her mind's eye, she could picture Weiss Schnee, and it filled her with rage.

But things weren't so simple. They never were.

"I'll join the White Fang," she said. "But there's one condition."

"Hmm," Adam raised an eyebrow at her. "Name it."

"I have a friend in Vale Castle. Like me, she was betrayed and hurt. She was put into eternal sleep, so she's defenseless… and harmless," Blake explained. "She's a human, but she's good. Her name is Ruby Rose. I want to save her."

"I see. Unfortunately, we don't have the strength or motive to invade the castle as of now," he said. "But when the times comes, no harm will come to your friend. That, I can promise you."

Blake nodded.

"Then so be it," she said. "What do I do?"

"For now, regain your strength. Familiarize yourself with our comrades," Adam ordered. "When you are ready, I'll have a task waiting for you. Go."

Blake waited a moment before walking away. Her weak steps gained purpose as she descended the stairs, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

This was it. This was how she made a difference.

* * *

Weiss approached the dungeons with a sense of unease. She felt like she was about to make a trip that had consequences she could never undo, but she couldn't very well turn back now, could she? For her peace of mind, she had to go through her self-imposed mission.

To her surprise, when she came before the door to the dungeons, the guards to either side of it crossed their lances in front of her, blocking her passage. Weiss looked at them in turn, waiting for them to realized who they had stopped… but they just stared back, with dread, but not regret.

"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded.

"General Rose has decreed that none shall enter the dungeons without her written or spoken consent." One of them explained.

"I am the queen of Vale. She has no right to deny me anything," her anger flared even more. "Now, let me pass."

They wavered for a few seconds, then finally withdrew their lances. Weiss nodded regally and opened the door. Inside, she took a lantern and lighted it before walking down the steps.

She held her breath as she approached one of the cages. Even with the lantern, it was difficult to see what was in front of her. She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look into the cage, but it didn't help.

"Emerald Sustrai," she called. "The queen orders you to step forth."

A minute passed, but there was no response. Weiss took a step back and lowered the lantern. Her arms were shaking, realization dawning slowly upon her. Emerald was gone.

But for how long?

Weiss raced up the steps and back to the hallway outside. She turned to the guards, who looked just as startled as she was.

"Where's Sustrai?" She asked. "When did she escape?"

"Escape?" One of them repeated unsurely. "My queen, she is still there, in her cage. General Rose interrogates her every day.'

"No," Weiss shook her head. "No, she doesn't. _Stay here_."

She turned and marched away, heading straight to Summer's room. Without meaning to, she laid a hand on her rapier's hilt, and the temperature around her dropped subtly. She arrived before the general's door and knocked twice, then waited with bated breath.

Summer responded quickly and with a smile on her lips, but when she saw the distressed expression that the queen was wearing, she frowned and ushered her inside.

"Is something wrong, my-"

"How long has Emerald Sustrai been gone?" Weiss interrupted, taking a big step away from the general.

Summer looked down, taking in the distance between the two of them. Her silver eyes wavered for a moment, then she fixed them on Weiss calmly.

"Did you visit the dungeons?" She asked.

"I did. Her cage was empty, and the guards had strict orders from you to keep anyone from entering." Weiss stated harshly.

"I suppose there is no point in lying to you, then," Summer sighed. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice before I fixed things. Yes, Emerald Sustrai did escape. It happened the same day Belladonna turned on you, so we can assume they were allies – Belladonna broke her out, as well as that faunus of yours."

"Why did you not tell me immediately?!" Weiss exclaimed. "And _don't_ lie to me!"

"As I said, it was the same day Belladonna revealed her true colors. I didn't want to make things harder for you than they already were," the general explained gently. "I assigned a team of my most trusted men to search for Emerald. So far, they have gotten nowhere."

Weiss looked away, barely being able to keep her anger at bay. Everything was crashing down on her too fast – the tenuous trust she had maintained on Summer, her refusal to listen to Blake and Pyrrha… She had taken all the wrong moves, and now found herself trapped.

Or did she? Maybe there was still a way out, if she played it smart…

"I'll forgive you this once," she said calmly. "While I don't agree with your keeping information from me, at least you did it out of compassion, and that's something I've little of these days."

"Words cannot express how happy that makes me, Your Highness," Summer smiled. "How can I make this up to you? I'll do _anything_."

"Keep searching for Emerald. That's all," Weiss ordered. "I'm going to sleep now."

She turned to the door and laid a hand on the knob. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Summer tense up and purse her lips in displeasure.

"You can always sleep here, my queen," she said, trying to sound humble. "Has this incident truly taken away so much of the trust you had in me?"

"No," Weiss smiled. "I'm just punishing you. Have fun sleeping alone tonight."

Summer's lips parted in surprise as the queen promptly opened the door and stepped outside. Weiss didn't waste a fraction of her time before distancing herself from the room. She had one chance to salvage everything, and one chance only.

* * *

"Hey, Yang!" Nora called out as she stepped outside into her porch, carrying a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. She peered into the raging blizzard, trying to find her friend in the middle of it, but it was to no avail. "Come on, you big oaf! I got you something warm to drink!"

The inventor tapped her foot impatiently on the wooden floor. She waited for Yang to appear, but all that she got to confirm the blonde was still alive were some flashes of fire in the distance.

"Come! On!" Nora called again. "Don't force me to go into that filthy-feather-cursed blizzard and drag you back here myself!"

A minute after, Yang emerged from the veil of the blizzard. Her eyes were a vivid shade of red, and her fists were still drenched in flames. Nora took that all in stride and shook her mug of chocolate up in the air.

"What do you want, Nora?!" Yang exclaimed.

"I'm making sure you're not a block of ice!" Nora rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you've been out there for hours! You need to get yourself warmed up again!"

"I _am_ warmed up!" Yang pointed out in exasperation. "I am on fucking fire!"

Nora gaped slightly. That did make a lot more sense than it should.

"Still!" She objected. "Hot chocolate!"

"No! Fuck off and leave me alone!" Yang yelled. "Just go back inside!"

A weird feeling rushed through the blonde's body, as if fire had flooded her system for a split second and then disappeared. She blinked and shook her head, then looked up, only to see Nora going back inside the house. Riddled with guilt, Yang rushed up the steps to the porch and followed the orange-haired woman.

"Nora! I'm so, so sorry!" She exclaimed. "It's just, when I go out there, I just… I just lose control, you know? I didn't mean to yell at you."

"Huh? Oh, you mean the swearing and stuff?" Nora asked. "I really don't mind. Just don't do it around Penny."

"But…" Yang frowned. "I thought you were hurt or something. Why did you go inside?"

Nora stared at her in silence for a few seconds, then shrugged.

"Just felt like going back inside. It's as cold as a Beowolf's snout out there," she said. "Hot chocolate?"

"…Sure," Yang took the mug hesitantly and took a sip. "It's… nice."

"Nice? _Please_ ," Nora scoffed. "I make the best damn hot chocolate in this house! And, little secret, we don't even have chocolate."

The inventor trotted off and went down to her lab, no doubt to resume one of her new experiments. Yang lingered on the first floor, drinking silently, and wondering if there was something wrong with her, or if she was just imagining things.

* * *

Pyrrha's eyes snapped open as someone knocked on her door insistently. At once, the mistralian warrior sat up, inadvertently causing the boy beside her to roll off the bed and crash to the floor.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune exclaimed. "What was that for?!"

"Sorry!" She poked him in the back of the neck, as if to check if he was alright. "Are you hurt?"

"My feelings are."

Pyrrha smiled slightly and stood, stepping carefully around him. Swiftly, she tied her sleepwear more tightly around her and went to the door. She opened it curiously, not really worried as to who was knocking, and to her surprise, saw no one but the queen.

"Pyrrha," Weiss whispered. "You were right about Summer Rose."

Pyrrha blinked once, rubbed her eyes to shake her sleepiness away, then ushered the queen inside the room. Weiss complied silently, giving Jaune an impassive glance before turning to the mistralian.

"I'm sorry for not listening to you sooner," she said. "I need your help. I-I've made a huge mistake."

"I know you gave her the title of Regent," Pyrrha nodded. "That shouldn't be too much of a problem. You can take that back, and then we'll deal with her."

"What? Are you mad?" Weiss eyed her more carefully, and only then noticed the giddy smile on her lips. She looked at Jaune, who had more or less wrapped himself up with a blanket on the floor, making himself look like some sort of human cocoon. She could still tell he was shirtless, though. "Of course. Just my luck," she shook her head in exasperation. "Listen. I can't just take the title away from her. I would need an official reason, and with her… magic… influencing the Council, I doubt I could convince them to agree."

Jaune shrugged – or appeared to. It was hard to tell in his current state of being.

"We could just kill her." He suggested simply.

"…Well, I'd like to agree, but that wouldn't be easy," Weiss sighed. "Pyrrha, do you think you could take her on?"

"Maybe. Last time, I was under restrictions," Pyrrha noted. "But so was she," she shook her head. "Summer could find out you know about her any moment now. You're not safe anymore. We need to get you far away from the castle, hide you somewhere safe, until we are ready to fight her."

"My house could work," Jaune said. "I have seven sisters. You could blend in… except for the white hair, of course."

Weiss bit her lower lip in consideration. She really hated the thought of hiding in an innocent family's house. What if Summer somehow picked up the pieces of her disappearance and tracked her there? And while she was gone, Summer would rule in her name. Weiss shuddered to think of what the witch would do with that power.

"I don't have much choice, do I?" She took a deep breath. "If you are comfortable with that plan, Jaune, then I shall do as you suggest."

"Alright," he gulped. "I hope you like jelly pies. Mother loves making these. I mean, she loves them _a lot_."

"We should go right now," Pyrrha looked out a window. "It's the dead of the night. We can use that to our advantage."

Weiss turned away respectfully as Pyrrha and Jaune went on to clothe themselves appropriately for the impromptu mission. Occasionally, she heard some girlish giggles behind her, which only made her blush and feel more nervous than she already was.

Finally, they exited the room. Pyrrha held her rifle firmly in her hands and gestured with it towards a particular hallway. Weiss nodded, understanding that the mistralian wanted to take a route where they would less likely be spotted.

They walked through the castle carefully. Weiss was small and light weighted, so she had no problem with being silent. Despite carrying a lance, shield and rifle, on top of the armor she wore, Pyrrha was even more silent. Unfortunately, Jaune more than negated their silence – the queen could swear he was actually going out of his way to slam his sword against the walls and trip on his own feet.

Finally, they reached the entrance to the castle. Some distance ahead was the front gate. Four soldiers stood guard nearby, and they would surely see them if they tried to go past them.

"Dragon's blood," Weiss muttered. "There's no way we can sneak past them, is there?"

"No," Pyrrha agreed. "Does that matter, though? They'll know you ran sooner or later. What changes is that we'll be seen with you."

"I'll go alone, then," the queen decided. "I will find a place to hide until morning. You can find me then."

"That's very optimistic. The city is much too dangerous for you to stay alone in it. There's the White Fang, the common bandits… Anything could happen to you while-"

"Ladies," Jaune cleared his throat. "Fret not. I have a perfect solution."

He walked towards the soldiers with a confident expression on his face. Weiss and Pyrrha watched wordlessly as he chatted agitatedly with the soldiers for a few seconds, before they ran away, shouting something about a faunus invasion.

"No," Weiss stated, dead serious. "I refuse to believe that worked."

"You shouldn't underestimate Jaune," Pyrrha smiled, then gestured at the gate. "Let's go. They'll notice something's off soon enough."

They had just started to walk towards the gate when a chill ran down Weiss' back, and she looked back over her shoulder, just in time to see someone emerging from the confines of the castle. Silver eyes met with her blue ones, and a scythe rasped against the ground sharply.

"Your Highness," Summer spoke. "Where are you going so late at night?"

Her eyes wandered over to Pyrrha. The mistralian hesitated for a brief moment before putting herself between the queen and the general.

"Lady Nikos," Summer tilted her head slightly. "I am sure there is an explanation for this. Surely, you are not kidnapping the queen?"

"Cease your lies," Pyrrha raised her rifle. "You cannot fool us anymore. Your Highness, go on ahead."

"But-"

"Go. I'll handle the witch."

Weiss took a step back, and suddenly, Summer was lunging towards her. In reflex, the queen raised her arm, and a barrier of ice rose from the ground in front of her. The general slammed headfirst into it and bounced off, dazed.

As Weiss turned and ran, Pyrrha didn't lose the opportunity given to her. She aimed at Summer's head and pulled the trigger. Summer dove to the side, and the bullet dug through her shoulder and exited her from behind. Blood flowed from the wound in copious amounts.

Summer looked up, and her eyes were like two flaming orbs of pure ire.

"You forget your place, wench."

The general stood and extended her right arm ferociously. A barrage of flames was born from the palm of her hand, racing directly at Pyrrha. The mistralian gasped and jumped out of the way. Fire brushed against the side of her left arm, singing her skin.

Summer followed up with the same maneuver, forcing Pyrrha to keep moving and unable to aim her rifle. The foreign warrior cursed under her breath and tossed the weapon away, then retrieved her shield from behind her back. She raised it swiftly, just in time to block a stream of fire. The skin of her hands stung, affected by the heat, but she held strong.

The flames died down for but a few seconds, yet that was all the time Pyrrha needed to put her plan in action. As Summer attacked her again, she threw the shield at the fire, and it cut through, spinning faster and faster, until it clashed directly on Summer's face.

The witch yelled in agony and fell to her knees holding her nose, which was split open in the middle. Pyrrha took her spear and threw it. The weapon soared through the air, aimed squarely at Summer's forehead… but the general simply raised her right arm and knocked it right off its path.

"How foolish…" Summer's voice reached Pyrrha, low and hoarse… but with a drop of amusement, weirdly enough. "I should have known better. I couldn't conquer the elder Schnees, neither their oldest daughter… Why did I play with the brat too? There's something about them… Their magic serves them like a barrier against mine…"

Pyrrha stood still, afraid to take a single step. She had shot Summer, split open her nose… And yet she remained so calm.

"I should thank you," Summer said, slowly standing up. A smile framed her lips, tainted with the blood that flowed from her nose. "You've laid out the path in front of me perfectly. Sweet Dragon, you took the damn queen out of my hands, and I had to do _nothing_. And now, what will they say? Who will be the villain, Nikos? You, or me?"

Footsteps approached them, the guards of the gate returning after hearing a rifle being fired.

"You're crazy if you think anyone will believe you," Pyrrha said. "You're a monster. They'll see through your farce."

"I don't agree, but I'll let you believe whatever you want. You won't be alive to see the end, after all," Summer shrugged. "Pick up your rifle."

Pyrrha tried to resist, but the witch seemed to be putting extra effort in her magic, for she felt her stomach turning and her head exploded with pain. She ran to her fallen gun and took it in her hands, shaking.

"I could just tell you to shoot yourself," Summer mused. "Actually, I would _love_ that. Alas, I need to safeguard my alibi. Magic will only get me so far," she sighed. "When the soldiers come, shoot them all. Repeatedly."

Pyrrha shook her head in terror, but she couldn't stop herself from turning around and taking aim. Finally, a soldier came into view, running around the corner. She pulled the trigger, and his head exploded into a bloody mess. She shot again, and again, and again, riddling his body with holes.

The rest of the guards came to his rescue, but they met the same fate as him. Tears streamed down Pyrrha's face, distorting her vision. Their screams echoed without end inside her head.

She pulled the trigger one last time, and her rifle clicked uselessly, finally out of ammunition. Pyrrha collapsed to her knees, staring fixedly at the disfigured bodies of the Vale men in front of her.

"What a shame. For what it's worth, I thought you had great potential, Pyrrha Nikos," Summer spoke right behind her. "Perhaps, in another life, we could have been friends."

The blade of Crescent Rose pierced Pyrrha from behind, poking out of her chest. The mistralian gurgled, her mouth flooding with blood.

"I doubt that could ever come to be, though."

Summer withdrew her scythe, and Pyrrha fell on her side, lifeless.

* * *

Weiss looked behind her shoulder nervously as she kept running, expecting Summer to appear at any moment and take her back, or outright kill her. Jaune was right in front of her, and he looked back just as often, though for completely different reasons.

They navigated the streets of Vale swiftly until they reached a beaten-down wooden house, definitely too small for a family Jaune had claimed to have at least _seven_ children. He opened the door and ushered the queen in, and she looked around nervously.

Eight pairs of eyes landed on her immediately. Seven girls were sitting on two benches with a table between them, ranging from two years of age to fifteen, all of them with blond hair and blue eyes. A large woman with the same features was carrying a stewpot and delivering warm soup to each of the girls' plates.

"Ma?" Jaune called awkwardly. "Uh, I've got a favor to ask?"

"Oh, hi, sweetie! It's so nice to see you! Do you want to rest here a while? Soldier work is so tiring, right?" His mother spoke quickly, almost too fast for Weiss to follow. "Oh! Oh! You brought a girl! Is that the sweetheart you talked about? What was her name, Pyr… Pyrca? I thought you were bringing her to meet us tomorrow?"

"No! Ma, this isn't Pyrrha," Jaune shook his head nervously, eyeing the girl beside him. "This is… Uh…"

"…Snow," Weiss finished, settling for the first name that came to her mind. She couldn't very well use her real name anymore. "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Arc."

The woman's face lit up with joy.

"Miss Arc? Oh my!" She exclaimed. "Call me Joanna, please!" She pointed to her children. "These are Jean, Jaqueline, Jill, Julie, Jane, Ji, and Ju!"

"It's… an honor to meet all of you too." Weiss said slowly. She had forgotten half of the names already.

The girls replied in differing levels of respect and animosity. Jaune shifted his weight between his feet anxiously.

"So, ma," he said. "About that favor. Snow needs a place to stay for a while. Could she maybe stay here?"

"Of course! Any friend of my son is welcome at my house!" Joanna nodded several times. "Come, you two! Have a seat! There's more than enough soup for everybody!"

"Sure, but I have to do something first," Jaune gulped. "I'll be back in half an hour. Snow, you'll be fine, right?"

Weiss nodded mutely, and Jaune went out the door, leaving her alone with his large family. The runaway queen stood in place, not knowing what to do next.

"Come on," Joanna ushered gently, tapping an empty space at one of the benches. "Don't be shy."

Weiss sat down hesitantly. Her knees brushed against the girls' to both sides of her, and she felt many stares fixed on her, as if she were an unusual piece of art. Joanna filled a plate with soup and put it in front of her. Weiss stared at it longingly, but she felt no hunger.

Sweet Moon. She had run away. Summer Rose – or whoever that monster was – was now Regent. Pyrrha Nikos might well be dead.

"Hey." A faint voice sounded to her right.

Weiss looked at the source of the voice, a girl that appeared to be ten-years-old, at most. Jill, perhaps?

"Has anyone ever told you that you look like the queen?"

"I-I… Yes," Weiss smiled shakily. "More times than I can remember."

"That's good," the little girl giggled. "I think she's pretty. I saw a painting of her once."

"Really? That's… nice."

Weiss looked at the soup again. She could see her reflection in it.

No queen.

Just another girl.

* * *

The path was trickier than she had sensed beforehand. Of course, she hadn't taken much time to think before moving, but she hadn't expected to meet with towering mountains and immobilizing swamps.

And now she found herself before a forest of prickly thorns. Just at the other side of it was her objective. Her heart pounded inside her chest. She hadn't felt this agitated in years.

She tried to part the thorns with her hands, but was immediately rewarded with a sting and a slash on her palm. The woman frowned and closed her eyes, steadying her breath. Slowly but surely, the wounds closed, and no blood was left behind.

This would take some willpower, and she was nearly out of that after the treacherous journey she'd had.

Inside her mind, she pictured the plants moving away of their own accord, making a nice, big path for her to walk through. Minutes passed, and when she opened her eyes, there it was. A nice, big path for her to walk through.

She started moving again, her steps quickening by the second. She had to come to a halt suddenly when a Shade passed in front of her, its shadowy form catching her off-guard in her hastened state. Once it was gone, she moved again.

Minutes after – or it could have been hours, or seconds, or years – she found her. The girl was lying on the ground, unconscious, a red cloak concealing most of her form. She crouched and shook the girl gently by the shoulders.

"Hey," she whispered. "Don't be scared. You can wake up now."

Slowly, two eyes opened. Silver. Her heart nearly stopped for a second.

"Dear Moon," the woman muttered. "You're astounding."

"W-what?" The girl blinked. "Where? Who…?"

"Shh… Don't stress yourself. My name's Raven Branwen. Do you remember who you are?"

The girl shook her head slowly.

"You'll remember everything eventually," Raven assured. "But, just so you know, your name's Ruby Rose."

Recognition flashed in those silver eyes.

"Are we…?"

"No. It's alright," Raven smiled and patted the girl's hand lightly. "I'll explain everything."

* * *

 **Yeah! Mixed emotions!  
**

 **Fun fact: I had planned for Pyrrha to die long in this story long before she did canonically. I was very happy with how I wrote it here, though halfway through the scene, I realized it was pretty... uh... horrifying. I'M SORRY I'M A MONSTER. IT'S JUST FICTION, THOUGH.**

 **Also, Ruby hype. She's alive. Or is she? Who knows. Only one thing is confirmed.**

 **...**

 **Summer is definitely Zwei.**

 **-Zeroan**


	16. Dreaming

_Ruby yawned softly and rubbed her eyes. She felt the faint warmth of sunlight raining down on her skin from above, coupled with the freshness of the breeze at morning._

 _The perfect summer day to bring a smile to her lips._

 _She sat up on her bed and looked around her house. A familiar voice reached her ears, singing a soothing tune._

 _"Rest, my child, 'neath the trees… Like its branches reach for me…" The door opened and her sister entered the house, her purple eyes sparkling with jubilation. "So, let me keep you safe and warm, here in my arms; think of the life that we could live, the joy- Oh hey, Ruby. Up already?"_

 _The redhead perked up, eyes staring wide at her sister. Yang laid a basket of bread and fruit at a table and turned to look at her, raising one eyebrow slowly._

 _"Ruby?" She called amusedly. "Are you feeling alright?"_

 _"Uh… Yeah," Ruby smiled. "Just sleepy, I guess."_

 _"Well, of course you are sleepy! You should be sleeping!" Yang rolled her eyes. "The princess gave you an entire week off, don't waste it."_

 _"The… princess?"_

 _Yang put her hands on her hips._

 _"Yes. The one I'm meeting in half an hour? The one I bought these for?" She raised her right hand, showing a bouquet of flowers._

 _"Oh," Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "Wait, are you trying to court the princess?"_

 _"Trying? Ruby, we're way past that point," Yang frowned. "You're acting really weirdly today, sister. You're the one who got us together, remember? Something about both of us needing love?"_

 _"Huh. I guess I really am sleepy," Ruby shrugged. "Give her a hug for me… i-if that's appropriate, of course."_

 _Yang shook her head in wonder and exited the house. Ruby waited a moment, feeling a tad dazed after the brief conversation, before getting up from her bed and examining her house more thoroughly._

 _There was definitely something wrong about it – no, it was a specific thing, but more of an overall quality. Paintings lined the walls, along with books colorful and light, old and heavy. Sunshine poured in through the glass ceiling._

 _And… by the Moon, something was missing, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what! Was it her favorite chair, the one that squeaked a bit when she sat on it, but never came any close to breaking? Or maybe one of her books had disappeared?_

 _She looked at the back of the house, and a terrible feeling started to sink in. Yang's cage! Where the heck was it?_

 _Ruby was so absorbed in her contemplations, she failed to hear as the door opened behind her once again. Faint footsteps neared her, and suddenly, something warm touched her right cheek._

 _"Ruby," Blake retracted from the brief kiss. "I wasn't expecting to find you like this. I wanted to wake you up."_

 _"B-blake," Ruby turned around and took a step back, startled by the negligible distance between the two of them. "G-good morning."_

 _"The best morning," the faunus smiled, and Ruby noticed the cat ears on top of her hair were uncovered. "Ozpin told me to go home. He wants me well rested for the expedition tomorrow."_

 _"Expedition?" Ruby asked._

 _"Oh, I knew that would peak your interest," Blake crossed her arms arrogantly. "We're going to thin out the Grimm around the city, so the burden is lighter when we do it again at autumn's end. It's a small group – just Ozpin, me, Jaune, and a few more. We could delay the departure a few days if you want to come along. I'm sure Weiss would allow it."_

 _Ruby shrugged and looked away. An expedition like that was certainly something she would like to participate in, but she was feeling rather off, and she knew better than most what that could lead to when one faced Grimm._

 _"I'll pass," Ruby said. "Maybe next time."_

 _"Alright. Whatever makes you happy."_

 _Blake reached forward to hold Ruby's right hand, and as she did, the redhead noticed something strange in that action. Blake's fingers felt strange, colder and heavier than they should be. Ruby looked down and, to her surprise, saw a ring decorated with many gemstones in one of the faunus' finger._

 _"That's a… beautiful ring." Ruby noted distractedly._

 _"…Yes?" Blake chuckled and threw her an odd look before walking to a desk and retrieving two cups of tea and a boiler. "As beautiful as yours, obviously. I'll make some us some tea."_

 _Ruby blinked and looked at her own hands. There it was, in her right hand – an identical ring, in the exact same finger as Blake's._

 _Odd. But for some reason, just the sight of it made her feel… happy._

 _"Seeing as how we're both free today," Blake spoke as she prepared the tea. "We could visit your mother later. What do you think?"_

 _"Yeah," Ruby answered quietly. Then, she smiled and repeated herself more animatedly. "Yeah! That would be wonderful!"_

 _"After lunch, then," Blake decided. "We have the morning all to ourselves, after all. Summer can wait a little."_

 _Ruby nodded vigorously, finding the idea very agreeable. Her mood took a heavy dive, though, as Blake cursed lightly under her breath and took a step away from her boiling water, her brow furrowed in annoyance._

 _"We're out of herbs," Blake sighed. "I'll go to the market to buy some. Take care of the water while I'm gone."_

 _Ruby watched her take a few steps towards the door, then ran and stood in front of her, shaking her head._

 _"No!" She exclaimed. "Don't go!"_

 _"Ruby," Blake smiled amusedly. "It won't be more than ten minutes, at most."_

 _"No. You're staying," Ruby insisted. "As you said. We've got the morning all to ourselves. I want to spend it with you, and I don't care about the tea."_

 _Blake stared at her for a few seconds before leaning down to kiss her. Ruby's eyes widened in surprised, but she soon found herself reciprocating with little thought about it._

 _"Wow," Blake retreated slightly to catch her breath. "You are eager today."_

 _"I love you, Blake." Ruby blushed immediately. She hadn't meant to say that; the words just came out of their own accord._

 _"I love you too."_

 _Ruby's heart fluttered with joy and she embraced Blake, burying her head in the faunus' shoulder. Warmth spread through her as Blake kissed her on the neck while rummaging through her red locks with her hands._

 _With a sigh, Ruby closed her eyes…_

* * *

"Ruby! Stop! You need to come back!"

Her eyes snapped open in panic as she was pulled forward by her arms. She looked up, and though her vision was hazy, she recognized that Raven was the one pulling her.

Trees surrounded them from every sound, reaching colossal heights into the sky, their tops so close together no lights shone down at the ground. The only source of light were the pale, vaguely humanoid forms that shuffled around in the woods, seemingly aimless, and Raven herself. A wavering fire outlined the woman, and her red eyes shone in the darkness, filled with desperate determination.

As dazed as she was, Ruby still understood that whatever had Raven in such a state was something she needed to avoid at all costs, and because of that, she needed to cooperate _fast_. Ruby gritted her teeth and fought past her lethargy, letting Raven pull her away more easily.

What happened thereafter, Ruby couldn't remember, and much less understand. She only knew what she had felt – fear, grief, regret, and finally, relief, as they stumbled out of the darkness and into a beaten trail, where finally the treetops gave way for the gray skies to illuminate them.

"Blood and bones, Ruby," Raven mumbled, exhausted and enraged after the ordeal. "I thought I'd lost you. I told you not to wander off the path!"

She waited for an apology or an angry rebuttal, but instead, what she heard was a muted sob. Raven turned around and saw Ruby kneeling on the ground with tears brimming on her eyelids, both her hands covering her mouth.

"Ruby, it's alright," Raven stepped closer uncomfortably. How many decades had passed since the last time she'd found herself in this kind of situation? "It's over. We're safe."

"I k-know!" Ruby closed her eyes, and tears started to stream down her cheeks. "It's o-over. I know."

"Oh, Ruby," Raven sighed as she understood they were talking about two very different things. "What… what did you dream?"

"H-huh?"

Raven pursed her lips uneasily and kneed before the shaking girl. She laid one hand on the redhead's shoulder, while gesturing at the dark woods to either side of them with the other one.

"It's easy to be tempted and walk off into the darkness here. I don't know what exactly, but something about this realm is always trying to lure us away with our innermost dreams and hopes," she explained softly. "It feels so real, doesn't it? Yet wrong, at the same time."

"Yeah. I guess," Ruby looked away, and Raven couldn't quite decipher all the emotions that showed on her face. "I dreamed about… back home, but… not really. Everyone was happy. It was the middle of summer. And…"

Her cheeks became as red as her hair. Raven barely resisted the temptation to smile as she came to an idea about what Ruby might have dreamed about – not surprising for a girl her age, really.

"I suppose it would happen sooner or later. Now you know to resist the temptation and _always_ stay in the light," Raven stood up. "You don't have to be ashamed, Ruby. We all have dreams that seem impossible, or perhaps even ridiculous. They're what makes us human."

"I… didn't even know I had those dreams." Ruby spoke with a mixture of fear and wonder.

Raven knew what the girl meant. She had gone through the same motions during her first days – or years, or months, or seconds, it wasn't easy to tell – in the realm.

"That's the thing about this place," she said. "It makes us wonder if we really know who we are." She paused, taking in how dramatic she had sounded. It was sure to not help Ruby deal any better. "Let's keep walking. We still have a long way to go."

* * *

"Raven, what exactly is this place…?"

The question came after hours upon hours of silent march. Raven had braced herself for the inevitability of it. She knew Ruby was a talkative, energetic girl, so if she was silent for so long, it could only mean she was wrestling with some heavy thoughts.

"I don't know." She said simply.

Ruby was quiet for a minute, but after that, she quickened her step to catch up with Raven, staring inquisitively at the woman's face.

"What do you mean you don't know?" She asked. "You knew about the dreams and temptations, and you said you went searching for me, and that's the only reason I woke up in the first place. So how come you don't know where we are?"

"I'm not the creator of this realm, but I've lived in it for an amount of time I can't quantify in any meaningful way. I've learned things about it – some things through experience, others through reflection – or so I think," Raven explained. "I don't know anything for sure."

Ruby blinked at her, and Raven knew all she had said had gone one ear and exited out the other.

"So…" Ruby interlaced her fingers coyly. "Are we dead, then?"

"No, we're sleeping."

"But if we're sleeping, then how come you woke me up, and then I dreamed again?" Ruby gasped as she began to connect the dots inside her head. "Wait, is this all a dream? Are you real? Am _I_ real?"

Raven sighed and rubbed her forehead. She wasn't _annoyed_ by Ruby's questions, per se, but they were frustrating to deal with and reawakened doubts Raven had put to rest long ago.

"I promise you I am real, and that we're not dead," Raven said. "I can explain further once we get to our destination. For now… can we deal with _easier_ questions?"

"Alright," Ruby perked up and immediately moved past the topic. "What were those weird white things in the woods?"

Well, that would have been amusing if it wasn't disturbing. Apparently, Ruby had _indeed_ stockpiled a lot of questions, and was seemingly going through a list.

"I call them Shades. They're what you would have become if I hadn't rescued you," Raven answered. "People who were trapped here just like us, got lost, and the illusion of their dreams was too strong for them to break. I imagine they are stuck in their perfect, yet fake, worlds."

Ruby frowned. Would being trapped in a perfect dream really be that bad? But, then again, it wouldn't be real. But, _then again_ , was _right now_ real? She groaned and shook her head, doing what Raven had said and straying away from those disturbing thoughts.

"Can they hurt us?" Ruby asked.

"No, but they will tempt you to become one of them," Raven shook her head. "As long as keep your wits about you, they won't be a threat. You might even get used to their presence."

"Alright," Ruby nodded. "So, is there anything really dangerous here?"

"Aside from the whole world?"

Raven stopped and pointed ahead. The gap between the trees to their sides was widening, and soon the trail divided into many different directions as it passed the edge of the forest. Ruby stepped forward slowly, her eyes filled with wonder and apprehension as she examined the horizon. Mountains rose in the distance, their peaks showered with thunder and lightning; just before those, snowy plains extended for miles, tormented by a fierce blizzard; and, most mind-boggling of all, rivers of lava snaked around, their glow shining beyond the veil of the snow.

"What?" Was all Ruby could say.

"I know. It didn't make sense for me either at first," Raven smiled humorlessly. "This realm is shaped by the dreams of hundreds, if not thousands, of people. It is only logical that the geography of it would become something like this."

"Wait," the redhead looked back at her companion. "What was that about shaping?"

"Exactly. This world is a reflection of its inhabitants, though most of them have little to no direct control over it," Raven started walking again. "Not me. I am rather… gifted. It's how I knew where you were and how to get to you."

"Because you are a witch like… _her_?" Ruby asked nervously.

Raven stopped briefly to look over her shoulder. Her red eyes bore into Ruby's for a moment, then she turned her head again and walked off. Ruby stood still for a moment, not sure what the best course of action was… then raised her shoulders guardedly and followed Raven with hesitant steps.

* * *

For the next hours, they descended a low incline, getting nearer to the wild settings Ruby had observed before. To the girl's relief, Raven did not guide her in that direction. Instead, they walked around the edge of the blizzard, and sometime after, they arrived at a rocky canyon. Several spires rose from the ground, like thin, miniature mountains.

Raven pointed at one of those, and Ruby noticed it had what could be considered a path to its top – like a rocky stairway that had formed naturally around the spire. They climbed it with care, Ruby holding Raven's hand, as she was afraid of slipping and falling to the hard ground down below.

At last, they reached the top. Ruby was happy to see that there was cave up there… as odd that it was.

"I made this," Raven stated quietly as she entered the cave. "It's useful for protection against the weather when the climate gets unstable, and the Shades can't wander up the stairs by accident."

"It looks… nice. Good work," Ruby said politely. "What do we do now? Are you finally going to tell me what's going on?"

"Later," the red-eyed woman refuted. "You should sleep. Everything will be easier if you're well rested."

"But…" Ruby gulped. "What if I become a Shade…?"

"Don't worry about that. If you dream for too long, I'll wake you up," Raven promised. "Besides, I have an idea that whatever you dream won't be harmful."

Ruby just sighed and lied down on the floor of the cave. She had already learned that if Raven wasn't willing to give any answers, she would get none, no matter how much she begged.

She closed her eyes and laid still, and for minutes, all she heard was her quiet breathing and the occasional thunder that came echoing through the canyon to their cave. She furrowed her brow, curled her legs, but as much as she tried, she couldn't fall asleep.

After a while, she felt a warm hand touch her on the neck, and shortly after, another one landed on the top of her head. Ruby opened her eyes briefly and noticed Raven sitting behind her with a far-away look on her face.

Maybe it was the influence from the strange real she was in, or perhaps Ruby was just tired, but she had a feeling Raven was imagining she was touching some else… Some other confused, motherless girl.

Ruby's eyelids grew heavy, and finally, she didn't have to make an effort of keeping them closed anymore.

* * *

 _Suddenly, she found herself standing in an unfamiliar village immersed in darkness. Ruby blinked and looked around, seeing only vague outlines of wooden houses. Torches were spread unevenly across the place, casting wavering shadows that ran along the ground like creatures of nightmare._

 _"Well, we can't just stand around and wait for those assholes to kill us all!" An angry whisper sounded somewhere nearby. "You know it's only a matter of time before they grow bored, so stop arguing!"_

 _Ruby walked towards the direction of the voice, feeling strangely light. She looked down at her feet and noticed she was leaving no footprints behind, in spite of the muddy soil, and that she cast no shadow when she passed by a torch. She had to pause for a moment, if only to reassure herself that she shouldn't have to worry – at best, she was dreaming again, and at worst, she was dead, and the dead have no reason to worry over anything._

 _She walked around the corner of a house and reached the source of the voice. A young man with black hair and faint red eyes was leaning against the back of the house, his arms crossed arrogantly to match his condescending smile. A crude iron sword was attached to his belt._

 _"Really, Taiyang. I cannot understand you," he spat on the ground. "You know those stories where they mention knights burning crops, raping women and forcing the men to work for them? Turns out people didn't make up that kind of shit, and now it's happening to our people, but still, you want to show mercy?"_

 _Another man stopped in front of him, visibly rattled. Ruby held her breath unconsciously as she took in his blond hair, blue eyes, calloused hands…_

 _"Father!" She yelled and leaped at him, intending to tackled him into a hug, but instead, she passed right through him and landed on the ground again. "What!"_

 _She spun in place for a few seconds, confused beyond hope, before finally understanding what was happening – she wasn't really there, wherever there was. Maybe she was having an especially weird kind of dream._

 _Ruby clenched her fists and looked away from her father, tears brimming in her eyes. Her first dream had been a cruel lie, and now this one was too. Couldn't she just have a nice, normal dream, for once?_

 _She didn't catch her father's exact words – though he sounded very, very upset – as she was too surprised by the sight of the last person in the group. Raven was standing beside the dark-haired boy, her eyes trained on Taiyang with a harsh quality Ruby was already growing accustomed to, yet she looked somewhat… younger?_

 _"Oh, I get it," Ruby spoke to herself, trying to make herself feel not so lonely. "You're all young like me. That's neat. And I guess you're Qrow?"_

 _"I've never heard so much bullshit before in my life." The dark-haired boy interrupted Taiyang all of a sudden._

 _"Yeah, that sounds like the Qrow I heard of." Ruby nodded knowingly._

 _"Look, I get your point, Qrow! I hate those Atlesian bastards as much as you do!" Taiyang exclaimed. "But maybe, just maybe, we don't have to cut them to pieces like a bunch of mindless bandits! We could scare them off, teach them a lesson!"_

 _"Oh! Brilliant idea!" Qrow touched his own cheeks and made an overly-adorable face. "And later we can have tea with them, trade stories, and laugh about how misguided they were!"_

 _"Damnit, Qrow," Taiyang sighed. "Raven, you're on my side, right?"_

 _Raven turned away slightly. The light of a torch illuminated her side and reflected on the blade she had on her hip. Taiyang's shoulders dropped in defeat._

 _"Well, I guess brute force and warmongering it is," he grumbled. "Can't believe Summer came up with this, of all people. She gave you two the go-ahead and now you won't even think of another solution."_

 _"It's not about us, or Summer, or the knights," Raven said quietly. "It's about saving our people. If that means getting blood on our hands…"_

 _"I can live with that." Qrow finished smugly._

 _"Let's hope you can live with that for a long time, then." Taiyang shook his head in disapproval._

 _Footsteps sounded behind Ruby, and she looked over her shoulder at an approaching figure. Her mind struggled to understand what was happening as a nearly identical version of her neared the group – silver eyes, red hair, flowing cloak… It was uncanny, if not frightening._

 _"Hey," she said cheerfully. "I got you a hammer, Taiyang. Is that fine for you?"_

 _"Yeah, that's… fine," Taiyang reluctantly took the weapon she offered, then look at the right hand. "Summer, is that a… scythe? Are you planning on fighting the knights with a scythe?"_

 _"Yeah? It has a sharp end and a pretty long blade," Summer shrugged. "Sounds like an effective weapon to me."_

 _"Well, I can't argue with those points," Taiyang smiled slightly. "I guess we kill them all, now?"_

 _A moment of silence passed as even Qrow shifted his posture in discomfort._

 _"That's right," Summer muttered. "We kill them all."_

* * *

Ruby sat up and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Sweet Moon, she felt strange. It was as if she had been lying on the bed of the ocean for hours and only now had gone back to the surface.

"What did you dream?"

Ruby turned around to face Raven, whose anxiety was extremely obvious for such an experienced woman.

"Well, this is going to sound weird," Ruby laughed awkwardly. "I dreamed about… you. And Qrow. And… my parents…"

"Ah," Raven's lips quivered, and for a moment, Ruby thought she was going to smile. "That wasn't a dream, Ruby. It was… a memory, but not exactly. You weren't around when Qrow was alive. So, we can assume you tapped into either Summer's or Taiyang's memories."

"You've told me a lot of confusing stuff ever since we met, but this conversation…" Ruby sighed. "This one takes the cake."

Raven got up and ushered her to do the same. Ruby eyed her cautiously, finding Raven's sudden display of energy unnerving, to say the least.

"Let me explain this in a very simple manner," Raven said. "When I dream here, I can relive my memories… or my parents', or _their_ parents', and so on. In the same vein, you can visit Summer's and Taiyang's pasts," she smiled. "Do you realize what that means? We can learn _exactly_ how they were killed!"

Raven waited for a reaction, but Ruby only stared at her in silence. A few moments passed before she understood the full scope of the situation. Raven cursed under her breath and took a step back, her mirth replaced by guilt and remorse.

"I'm sorry. You certainly don't want to see your parents being…" Raven shook her head. "We can wait."

"No, it's… alright…" Ruby mumbled. "It's just a lot to take in."

"Well, it's best we take our time. There's a lot for you to learn about me, Qrow, your parents… How everything went wrong…" Raven said. "Maybe I can show you by taking you to a memory of mine. That could work."

"You're not certain?" Ruby gulped.

"As I've already told you, I don't know all the rules to this place. We need to learn through experimenting," Raven cocked her head to the side. "Do you want to try?"

Ruby took a deep breath. Everything was so confusing, and it felt like surprises were waiting to be thrown at her at every opportunity. Did she really want to delve into her parents' and Raven's past? What would she even do with the information she got from that?

She pursed her lips and admonished herself mentally. This wasn't the attitude she had been taught by her parents, by Yang, by Ozpin… When a challenge appeared before her, she didn't back down – she faced and overcame it.

Right now, that meant getting dragged into someone else's memories. She didn't know what would be waiting for her. Would she learn her parents weren't as perfect as she thought? What about Raven and her father?

But if it meant getting answers…

"Let's do it," Ruby stated seriously. A heavy moment of silence passed as she faced Raven. "…Uh, how do we do it?"

"Experimenting," Raven repeated. "Close your eyes."

Ruby did as she was told, then felt Raven lay her hands on her shoulders.

"Alright," Raven muttered. "Here we go…"

* * *

 _When Ruby opened her eyes, she was standing on the main floor of a crowded tavern. Raven was still in front of her, and hesitantly, she withdrew her hands from her shoulders. Fortunately, Ruby didn't vanish because of it._

 _People bustled everywhere, clearly not seeing them. For than a few times, people passed through their bodies as if they were ghosts. Ruby closed and opened her fists nervously – everything felt too wrong for her comfort._

 _"Where are we?" She asked meekly, doing her best to dodge anyone that came in her direction._

 _"The Roosting Boar. A tavern on the border of Mistral and Vacuo," Raven replied calmly. "There I am, along with the others. On that table."_

 _Ruby looked to the right, where Raven was pointing, and saw a familiar group sitting around a round table. Qrow chugging two enormous glasses of beer at once; Summer making a statuette out of a block of wood while Taiyang watched discreetly; and a younger Raven sitting in silence with arms crossed firmly._

 _"This is just confusing," Ruby complained. "How old are you here?"_

 _"This took place a little over twenty years ago," her Raven explained. "We'd just finished assaulting a mistralian lord's castle a week before, and were looking to work on another kingdom until things settled down," she gestured to the table. "Let's move closer so we can hear them."_

 _Ruby nodded and went to stand beside the table. She looked briefly at Qrow and the other Raven before fixing her eyes on her parents. Summer was really focused on her carving, as if it was a matter of life and death. Taiyang was behaving very similarly, though his attention was turned on the carver herself._

 _"Why is my mother carving?" Ruby leaned down to get a closer look at the statuette. "What is she carving?"_

 _"It was supposed to be a bird," Raven replied with a hint of amusement. "Taiyang was always picking up one activity or another, switching it up every couple months. He was interested in carving during this period, and Summer was trying to catch his eye by doing the same thing."_

 _"Huh. I never knew about that."_

 _Qrow slammed his now-empty glasses on the table and stared at the wood in Summer's hands._

 _"What the hell is that?!" He exclaimed, bewildered._

 _"It's… a bird?" Summer raised her shoulders defensively. "I promise it's a bird."_

 _"It looks like… Actually, I don't know what it looks like. It's fascinating, I'll give you that," Qrow chuckled and looked to the side. "Maid! Barmaid! Maid! More driiinks!"_

 _He then burped and almost knocked one of the glasses off the table. Ruby raised her eyebrows and looked at her Raven._

 _"He was a good man," the red-eyes woman said quietly. "I'm sure you would have liked him very much."_

 _Summer sighed and dropped her half-finished work, then rested her head on her hands in exasperation._

 _"I'm so bad at carving," she groaned. "Can we kill some Grimm? I'm good at that. And taverns are boring."_

 _"Tomorrow, Summer," Taiyang patted her back sympathetically. "We'll be on the road, and there'll be plenty of opportunities for you to use Crescent Rose. Does that comfort you?"_

 _"Yes! Yes, it does!" Summer's eyes lit up with joy. "You always know what to say, Tai!"_

 _"Urgh," Qrow rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. "Get a room, you two."_

 _Taiyang got up and raised his chin proudly._

 _"You know what?" He grinned. "We will do just that. Lady Rose, shall I carry you?"_

 _Summer squealed and jumped up, closing her arms around his neck. Taiyang gathered her in his arms and walked away from the table towards a set of stairs that lead to the tavern's renting rooms._

 _Ruby blinked and looked at the leaving pair, then the younger Raven, who was still as silent as before. The redhead frowned and looked at her version of the Branwen woman._

 _"Uh… Father… You…" Ruby gulped. She really didn't know how to put her question into words. "Shouldn't you two…?"_

 _"No," Raven answered simply. "All in due time, Ruby. Watch and learn."_

 _Just as she said that, the younger Raven shifted in her seat and looked over her shoulder. A few moments later, she elbowed Qrow lightly to draw his attention. He mumbled something intelligible over the hem of his glass before burping one more time._

 _"Do you see that man?" The young Raven whispered. "The one sitting on the counter? Black hair, two swords on his back?"_

 _"Yeah, I see him. Been there the whole night," Qrow shrugged. "What? You looking for a rump, sister?"_

 _"Qrow. I'm being serious," she elbowed him again, and not in a playful way, as his expression afterward told very clearly. "There's something… different about him. Can you see his eyes?"_

 _Despite his sister's severe admonishment, Qrow still almost burst into laughter._

 _"No," he said. "They must be very dreamy, I imagine."_

 _"They're red," she said. "I think – He's getting up. I think he knows we're talking about him."_

 _"_ You _are talking about him."_

 _Ruby watched in expectation as a man approached the table. His hair was black, somehow appearing darker than Qrow's, and his eyes were a deep shade of red. He wore light leather armor and had two long swords strapped to his back._

 _Even in her ethereal state, Ruby felt drawn by the very sight of him. There was something about the way he walked, each step filled with purpose, and the way he pulled back a chair and sat down across the Branwen siblings, not bothering to ask for permission… It was as if he drew the attention of everyone around him simply by existing._

 _"Hello." He said simply._

 _"Hey, mate," Qrow took a sip of his beer. "What's your name?"_

 _"I've used many names, and people rarely use my real one," the stranger smiled. "Most call me the Dragon, though."_

 _"How blasphemous!" Qrow exclaimed. "I like you. Want a beer?"_

 _"No, thank you. I don't drink," the Dragon's eyes wandered to Raven. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Flame."_

 _Raven watched him without blinking. Her posture showed how tense she was, from her straight back to the hands she refused to raise from her lap. Qrow eyed her oddly, then put his glass down for good._

 _"I see you know who we are, Dragon," he said. "Yes, my sister is the Flame. I'm the Shadow."_

 _"Ah, yes. The Shadow," the Dragon looked at him again. "I've heard tales of how you can infiltrate the most secure castles in all the realms and leave no trace behind. They say you can meld into darkness, make it into a mantle of sorts, to hide you in plain sight."_

 _"Yeah," Qrow smiled smugly. "I spread that rumor. You see, fear is half of the job. If people are too afraid to fight, it's easy to-"_

 _"I can set a castle aflame, if I want to." Raven interrupted suddenly._

 _She locked eyes with the Dragon, and he stared back just as intensely. Qrow hung back in his chair, looking from one to the other with intrigue._

 _"Well," he cleared his throat. "I'll be at the counter. Have a nice chat."_

 _Qrow got up and moved to the counter, where he proceeded to get even more beer. Raven and the Dragon kept staring at each other for quite some time, to the point where Ruby was becoming actually worried about the whole situation._

 _"Where are the Reaper and the Wall?" The Dragon finally spoke again._

 _"In their room," Raven leaned forward, her eyes glowing. "What are you? Are you… like me?"_

 _"It looks that way," he smiled slightly. "It certainly feels that way. Does your little band have room for a temporary companion?"_

 _"Yes, it has."_

 _Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder. She was pulled back by her Raven, who had been deadly silent for the past minutes, until she wasn't able to hear the conversation at the table anymore._

 _"Who was that?" Ruby asked in awe. "Nobody ever told me about him."_

 _"That's because people only knew him if he wanted it that way," Raven muttered. "Your parents were smart to keep you in the dark, but it's time you learn about him… The Dragon, as he called himself. Bastard never told me his real name."_

 _"Raven!" Ruby almost screamed in frustration. "Who is he?!"_

 _"He was a powerful, greedy man, who was willing to go any length to get what he wanted. A proficient liar, though that was mostly because he had magic to aid him in that. And, I hate to admit it… quite the charmer," Raven sighed. "Basically, he is what went wrong."_

* * *

 _After that moment at the tavern, Raven once again laid her hands on Ruby's shoulders, and they were transported to another memory._

 _They stood on top of the wall surrounding a castle. It was the dead of the night, and the sky was empty but for the moon, which appeared to be at its fullest phase. Ruby looked around, expecting to see the younger Raven from before, but the real one was the only person she could see._

 _"Three years passed since I met the Dragon," Raven spoke softly, looking down at the ground far below. "He became a full-fledged member of our group, though the tales never mentioned him. He wanted it that way, I imagine. Summer and Taiyang liked him, treated him as a friend. Qrow? Not so much, probably because he wasn't very fond of the relationship I had with him."_

 _"Relationship?" Ruby repeated confusedly._

 _"He was like me, like… Yang. Children of the Moon, witches and warlocks – whatever you want to call us. He understood me," Raven said. "Qrow was my brother, but he never manifested the same powers. The oddest thing about him were his eyes. Growing up, I thought I was a freak… Some kind of horrible beast trapped inside a person's body. Until that night at the tavern."_

 _Ruby stared at her companion in silence, trying to connect the implication in Raven' speech, but she didn't really want to reach a conclusion. Luckily, her attention was drawn away by a slight noise from below, like something scraping against a rock._

 _Suddenly, a shadow leaped over the edge of the wall and landed just behind her. Ruby turned around and saw Qrow dusting his cloak with a smug smile on his lips._

 _"This memory belongs to my brother," Raven muttered. "One of his last."_

 _"W-what?" Ruby gasped. "This is the night he died?!"_

 _"Yes," Raven crossed her arms. "And here comes the culprit."_

 _Qrow walked back to the edge of the wall and extended his hand. He had an exasperated expression on his face, as if he had somewhere else he wanted to be. A few moments later, another hand gripped his, and he pulled the Dragon to his feet on top of the wall._

 _"You're welcome, mate," Qrow scoffed. "Still can't believe you can't just fire yourself up here or something."_

 _"I can, but that wouldn't exactly be stealthy, now would it?" The Dragon chuckled. "I thought you, of all people, understood that."_

 _"I do. That was just me showing my frustration about you being here slowing me down," Qrow rolled his eyes. "And that's not all. You've got way more important things you should be doing right about now."_

 _"Raven doesn't need me at her side at every moment, if that's what you're implying. Her belly won't explode just because I went away for a few days," the Dragon noted. "And, if anything happens, she has Summer and Taiyang to take care of her."_

 _"Pff! Those two can barely stay off each other when the whole group's together, imagine when their only company is a pregnant lady who spends more time asleep than awake."_

 _Ruby took in a sharp breath and shook her fists at Raven, but they just passed through the ethereal woman. Raven diverted her eyes, her lips pressed together tightly._

 _"Be at peace, brother," the Dragon said smoothly. "This is an opportunity for us to spend some time together. Why ruin it by worrying over nothing?"_

 _"Oh, yes. Now that you mention it, I am so excited to spend time with the illustrious Dragon," Qrow bowed mockingly. "Seriously, though. If you want us to be friends – sorry, brothers – the least you could do us is tell me your real name."_

 _"Sure. It's Alexander of Witherberg."_

 _"Hah. And I thought I was the funny one," Qrow turned his back to him. "Let's get this over with. The faster we get those cages and coffers empty, the sooner we can reunite with the others."_

 _Qrow started to walk away, but the Dragon remained still, his red eyes focused intensely on his companion's back. Ruby shivered, a bad feeling coming over her, and that only grew worse as she noticed Raven refused to look directly at the scene before them._

 _"Qrow, wait a moment," the Dragon called clearly, his voice echoing in the night. "Do you have a spare pistol?"_

 _"No, just mine," Qrow turned around. "Why?"_

 _"I think it might be best if I don't use my magic tonight. The Moon is high. I might lose control," the warlock gestured apologetically with his hands. "Would you lend me your pistol?"_

 _Qrow's eyes narrowed, and for a minute, he didn't move. Then, he reached under his cloak and retrieved a pistol, then tossed it over to the Dragon, who caught it expertly and gave it a silent look-over._

 _"There you go," Qrow smiled. "Anything else? Want my cloak in case you get cold?"_

 _"Don't move. That is all," the Dragon's eyes shimmered for a split second. "Forgive me, brother."_

 _He lifted his hand and took aim. One pull at its trigger, and the pistol released a resounding round. Ruby closed her eyes in reflex, and when she opened them again, the front of Qrow's attire was drenched in red._

 _Qrow stumbled once towards the Dragon, stretching his hand helplessly, and then collapsed over the edge of the wall and fell._

 _Ruby stared in shock at the place the Shadow had been standing upon just a few seconds before. A small pool of blood had formed there. In the back of her mind, Ruby wondered if there would be a stain there if she ever visited this place in present times._

 _The Dragon tossed the pistol away and buried his hands on his coat, then walked away, leaving fiery footprints behind him. Darkness encroached Ruby…_

* * *

And suddenly, she was at the cave once again, sitting on the ground with crossed legs. Raven stood before her, a grim expression on her face.

Neither said a word for a long, long time. Ruby was too shaken by what she had just witnessed. In her line of work, she had seen plenty of people get shot, and had even been a victim of that herself, but the way Qrow had been unable to do anything even as he realized what was about to happen to him, and then he just _fell_ … Such a cold, lonely death. Ruby hadn't personally known him, but she felt immense sadness for Qrow.

"Why?" She finally managed to say. "Why did he kill Qrow?"

"Many things can be said about how Qrow was, but if one of those is true, it's that he was loyal," Raven said somberly. "The Dragon knew he would become a nuisance in the future, even if he somehow managed to get Qrow to think of him as a brother. So he took the safest solution and killed him while they were alone."

"Did… did you know that happened?" Ruby whispered. "Or did you only figure that out here?"

"It took me a while," Raven replied. "I knew there was something wrong about the Dragon's explanation. He said Qrow had been caught off guard when they stormed the castle, and that he hadn't been able to recover his body. It was obvious he was lying – no way Qrow would have died like that – but he was just _that_ arrogant to believe I would accept it, mourn my brother, and move on."

Raven looked away. Her eyes expressed sadness of depths Ruby had never seen before in her life.

"I would have done exactly that," Raven muttered. "But then he started to become very possessive of the baby, and that broke the hold he had on me."

"The baby? You mean Yang?" Cold sweat ran down Ruby's back as she sat up straighter. Every part of her was focused on Raven, waiting anxiously for her next words.

"Yes. I was seven months pregnant when Qrow died," Raven said. "The Dragon would spend every moment of his day caring for me – but he only really cared about the baby. He talked about how she would be more powerful than me, than him… How she would be a conqueror worthy of his name. Needless to say, Summer and Taiyang-"

"Wait!" Ruby jumped to her feet. " _His_ name?"

Raven stared her in the eyes, and suddenly, it felt like a chasm had opened between them. Ruby shook her head fervently and stumbled back, her fists shaking beyond her control.

"B-but why?" She asked. "Y-Yang is… Is… You and dad, I mean, I don't know how, Yang never told me, but you two…"

"That… was a cover story. They didn't want her to know who her real father was," Raven spoke slowly, as if every other word became harder to get out. "I wish I could thank them, Summer especially. I can only imagine how it felt to craft a lie like that, involving her own-"

"Stop! Just… _Stop_!"

Ruby thrusted her fists down at her sides, breathing hard. A distant thunder echoed through the canyon, and the ground trembled ominously. Suddenly, a massive storm began to fall just outside the cave, drowning the silence they shared – but that somehow only made the situation tenser than it already was.

Raven reached forward to touch Ruby, but the girl gritted her teeth and edged away from her. She had endured the most gruesome tortures, taken on small armies, faced numerous hordes of Grimm, but she had never felt so afraid as she did now, staring into Ruby's fierce silver eyes.

"Ruby," Raven whispered. "You need to calm down. We can talk about this-"

"No! I'm sick of talking to you! I'm sick of all that stupid dreaming and remembering stuff!" Ruby yelled. "I don't want to learn anything more! My mother killed me, and instead of letting me rest, you want to tell me my sister is not my sister!"

Raven walked towards her, intending to embrace the girl in an effort to comfort her, but suddenly, she was launched back, smashing against the wall of the cavern. Her right cheek stung, and to her surprise, she tasted blood inside her mouth.

"Just leave me alone." Ruby closed her cloak around her body and marched out of the cavern.

Raven touched her cheek and walked to the edge of the cave, watching in silence as Ruby descended the spire and reached the ground below. Lightning flashed every few seconds, dazzling her vision, and finally, after one of these, she lost sight of the Reaper's daughter.

She was alone again.

* * *

Ruby walked for hours, not caring where she ended up, as long as it got her away from Raven. The storm didn't scare her, and though it drenched her clothes and made her hair stick to her forehead, she didn't feel herself getting sick, or even cold, for that matter. Maybe it was another characteristic of the dream realm.

She was very aware that she was the cause of the storm, but she didn't care. She was sad and furious, and it wasn't like there was anyone nearby that could get hurt because of it. For once in her life, she wanted to just _let go_.

Her parents had taught her to be strong, but she knew now they weren't perfect. They had lied to her, and someone wearing her mother's face had killed her – or something so close to that, it didn't make a difference.

Maybe she had done something wrong while she'd been alive, and this was the Hell the worshippers talked about. A false Paradise for sinners, designed to trick them and make them suffer.

If that was the truth, she wondered where everyone else she once knew had ended up at.

The rain didn't let up, and Ruby got tired of enduring it. She diverted her eyes from her feet to look around. Funny. She had ended up back at the edge of the woods. She unclasped her cloak and sat against the trunk of a tree. Its leafy branches protected her from the unending downpour.

Ruby laid her cloak on top of herself like a blanket and lied there for days.

* * *

 _"You're not getting inside this room."_

 _Taiyang stood straight in front of a door, his fists closed tight at his sides. His blue eyes didn't leave the Dragon's red ones, even as the distance between them shortened to practically nothing, their noses all but touching each other._

 _"Is that so?" The warlock said gravely. "And how exactly do you plan on stopping me?"_

 _"I don't know. I just will," Taiyang tilted his head determinedly. "Don't do something you'll regret. Raven is having your baby right now. Have some common sense and wait until it's over."_

 _"There's a fine line between conviction and foolishness. Nevertheless, I admire you, Wall," the Dragon smiled slightly. "I will follow your wishes and wait."_

 _"Good. But I'm warning you, even then, there will be a reckoning."_

 _The Dragon's smile grew bigger._

 _"Ah, yes. A reckoning. I do love these."_

 _Their conversation was cut short as a babyish cry came from inside the room, followed shortly by relieved laughter. Taiyang started to drop his guard, but before he could do so completely, he noticed as the Dragon's eyes shifted intensely to the door behind him._

 _Suddenly, the two of them were spinning viciously, gripping each other's arms, each trying to overpower the other. Taiyang roared and dashed forward, intending to slam his opponent against a wall, but instead, he suffered that fate. One of the Dragon's hand held him by the throat, burning his skin in agonizing fashion._

 _He struggled to free himself, but the Dragon refused to budge. His vision filled with black spots as he felt his lungs empty of air, and the strength in his body began waning away fast…_

 _Something cut through the air, and the Dragon stumbled away in a daze, blood exiting from the back of his head in light drops. Summer appeared between him and Taiyang, wielding her scythe in both hands._

 _"Make another move, and I'll slice your head off."_

 _"Oh, that's precious. Do you truly think you could do that? Kill me?" The Dragon looked up at her with a crooked smile on his lips. "You two are pathetic, and so was the Shadow. I would have killed you long ago, if I didn't have so much respect for Raven. But now I see you are too much of a nuisance to keep alive…"_

 _His eyes flared, and flames sprung to life grandiosely in his hands. Summer stepped back, getting closer to Taiyang, as if she intended to protect him with her own body if necessary._

 _"Stop it. We need to talk."_

 _The Dragon's flames died as he turned around instantly. Raven was leaning on the open doorway, breathing raggedly. In her arms she held a bunch of blankets wrapped around each other, forming a makeshift cocoon of sorts. A chubby little hand poked out of it, as if to try and poke her on the nose._

 _He took one step towards her before the cold blade of Crescent Rose touched the back of his neck._

 _"You're not getting anywhere near the baby." Summer warned._

 _"She's right," Raven agreed tiredly. "Taiyang. Carry it her for me. Then you two will leave me alone with him. I'll join you later."_

 _"Raven, I don't think that's-" Taiyang started to say, but Summer cut him off with a significant look. "…Alright."_

 _He walked to Raven and took the baby, who started to wail loudly. Raven looked at her, eyes glistening with tears, then bent slightly to kiss her on the forehead._

 _"Go."_

 _Summer gripped Taiyang by the forearm and dragged him away into the hallways of the abandoned fort they were in. The redhead woman set a decisive march which was difficult for him to stop._

 _"Summer!" He exclaimed. "We need to go back. He's going to kill Raven, or – or worse."_

 _"I know. I-I'm sorry," Summer's voice broke. "She begged me to do this, Tai. She wants her baby to be safe. That's our first priority," she stopped briefly. "We'll find somewhere for you to hide with the baby. Then, I'll come back and kill that son of a bitch."_

 _The temperature rose in the hallway, and the walls reflected a fiery red. Summer started walking again, holding back her tears, and Taiyang followed without argument. He looked down at the baby in his arms and felt his heart wrench at the sight of two innocent violet eyes._

 _"What's her name?" He muttered._

 _"I don't know," Summer said. "Raven didn't have time to say."_

* * *

 _Summer sighed in relief as she opened the door of the cabin and stumbled inside, dragging her scythe on the ground beside her. Her breath crystalized in the cold, and snow fell off her cloak in copious amounts._

 _"Kids! I'm done!" She yelled happily. "No more Grimm," she looked around the small cabin with a weary smile on her lips. "Taiyang?"_

 _She stood there for minutes, her smile crumbling and giving way to a distressed expression. Eventually, she spun around, intending to head back out into the freezing fields, but instead, she slammed into her husband's chest and bounced right back inside._

 _"Taiyang!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Blood and bones, where were you?!"_

 _"Hmm? Getting some dry wood for a fire, taking care of some Grimm you missed earlier." He shrugged and tossed a dozen logs to a corner of the cabin._

 _"Where are the kids?! Did you tell them to stay inside? I-I can't find them!"_

 _Taiyang raised an eyebrow at her, and a quiet childish giggle sounded nearby. Summer looked up and only then noticed Yang, sitting on top of a tall wardrobe, wearing a mischievous smile, holding a redheaded baby in her arms._

 _Summer stared at her for a long moment, and Yang shrunk a little, as if she were afraid of getting reprimanded… but then, Summer leaned back and burst into laughter._

 _"You little, adorable imp!" She said. "Were you up there all this time, just to play a prank on me?"_

 _"Yeah!" Yang giggled. "Tricked you, mom!"_

 _"Oh, get down here, imp!"_

 _Yang dropped to the floor and smiled proudly as Summer ruffled her hair. Then, the Reaper took the baby from her arms and spun graciously._

 _"Don't think I didn't notice you, littler imp," she whispered. "You're quite the prankster for a creature your size."_

 _"Hey, dad!" Yang tugged at Taiyang's leg. "Can I start the fire today?"_

 _He stared down at her with a contemplative expression on his face. His eyes met with Summer's for a brief moment._

 _"Alright," he said. "Just be careful to not set the house on fire, alright?"_

 _"Al-right!"_

 _Yang picked out a log from the pile and set it on the fireplace, then started to rub her palms against each other. Her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth as she concentrated further._

 _Taiyang chuckled and approached his wife, eyeing the baby in her arms. Summer closed her eyes and nuzzled little Ruby's cheek, humming contently._

* * *

 _Ruby shifted in her bed and opened her eyes lazily. Her house was immersed in darkness, except for a little sunlight that sneaked under the front door. She yawned and stretched her arms out of her blankets, preparing to rise from the bed, but a hand pushed her back down gently._

 _"No, no, sister," Yang said sweetly, sitting beside her in a wooden chair. "You're not getting up today."_

 _"Whaaa-?" Ruby rubbed her eyes. "What are you_ talking _about? I've got work…"_

 _"Not today, you don't," the blonde winked at her. "Ozpin worked you so hard yesterday, you deserve a little rest. Agreed?"_

 _"Nooo… I want to be on the Guard…"_

 _Yang rolled her eyes and smiled._

 _"I know that," she said. "And you will be, no doubt. But you've got to pace yourself."_

 _"But Ozpin-"_

 _"If he complains, I'll go to the castle and personally knock him on the head. That ought to teach him to respect my little sister," Yang leered at her. "Now,_ sleep _."_

 _Ruby shuffled under her blankets anxiously, but Yang's watchfulness kept her from escaping. Eventually, she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep._

* * *

Sunlight poured inside the cavern for the first time in days. Raven opened her eyes and stared in silence. The storm had ended sometime while she slept, and now there was no sign that it had ever actually happened. She wondered if this had any meaning, but she already knew the answer.

Everything had _some_ meaning in this world.

Hours later, a shadow feel upon her. Raven looked up and saw Ruby standing before her. Her shoulders were dropped, and her remorse was clear as day in her eyes. After a while, Ruby sat down beside her and leaned against the wall of the cavern.

"I'm sorry I left." She whispered.

"Don't be," Raven shook her head. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah. Much better."

"That's good," Raven refused to make eye contact. "Why did you come back?"

To her surprise, Ruby leaned against her and wrapped her arms around her – it was like the awkward version of a comforting hug. Raven tensed for a moment, but eased up shortly and allowed the girl to stay that way.

"I had a lot of time to think. To dream, mostly," Ruby said quietly. "It made me realize a lot of things. Yang is still my sister, even if we don't share blood. It was always a little bit like that, anyway. I don't see why anything should change now. I realized my parents loved us _a lot_ , even though they lied," she paused. "And I realized you sacrificed everything for Yang, and that I'm the first person you've talked to in twenty years."

Raven finally looked at her, her eyes wavering slightly. She took one of Ruby's hands and caressed her fingers gently.

"I never told you how I know about your existence, or that Summer and Taiyang died," she said. "Sometimes, when I dream, I… I _see_ Yang. Glimpses of her life. Her first steps; her childish games… Later on, her getting a job at the local bakery; helping escaped faunus; waving away a _line_ of suitors…"

"It's hard, sometimes downright painful. When the Moon is high, and she's so helpless, I just want to reach for her and teach her how to deal with who she is… but I can't," Raven smiled shakily. "And yet, it's also comforting. I know she's happy. I know she's tough, and that she can take whatever the world throws at her. And I know she has you."

Ruby's vision blurred, and she pulled Raven closer to her.

"She _had_. Not anymore."

"Maybe so," Raven nodded. "Still. I'm glad you were there for her."

"Y-yeah," Ruby released her hold on the other woman and sat up straighter. "I-I'm ready. Let's find out what happened to my parents."

Raven smiled encouragingly and took both of Ruby's hands.

"If you say you're ready, I'll take your word for it," she said. "Now, you'll need to direct us to that memory. Focus your mind on Summer and Taiyang, on the day they died…"

"A-alright…" Ruby whimpered.

"Take your time. And don't forget I'm at your side."

Ruby nodded, then closed her eyes.

* * *

 _Snow surged around them violently, drowning out every other sound and rendering their sight of view almost null. Ruby looked to her right and saw Raven's vague outline._

 _"This is definitely Vale!" She yelled over the roaring blizzard. "I think I got this memory thing right!"_

 _"It appears so!" Raven responded. "Whose memory is this?!"_

 _"I don't know! Can't see anyone!"_

 _Suddenly, fire rose in the distance, its luminescence tearing through the whiteness of the blizzard. A fierce scream reached their ears, and then, someone appeared before them, rolling wildly on the snow._

 _Taiyang jumped back to his feet and raised his arms, revealing a large hammer. Before he could do anything, a barrage of fire struck him and knocked him back down. His weapon fled from his grip and was lost in the snowy field._

 _The Dragon appeared in front of him, his eyes two orbs of fire in the midst of the blizzard. Taiyang screamed hoarsely and jumped, aiming his fist at the warlock's throat… but it was caught easily, and his arm was twisted viciously with barely any effort from his foe._

 _"Pathetic whelp," the Dragon intoned deeply. "You are as useless in death as you were in life."_

 _He stretched his arm and released a torrent of flames from his palm, perforating Taiyang's chest cleanly and cauterizing it at the same time. The Wall stirred, then fell to the ground._

 _Ruby covered her mouth with her hands and stumbled back. The Dragon's eyes passed over her and she nearly screamed in terror, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't actually see her, much less hurt her._

 _The Dragon turned, and suddenly, he was knocked to the ground. Summer stood over him, silver eyes gleaming with tears. Her red cloak flowed wildly with the wind as she raised her scythe over her head._

 _She brought it down, but midway through the movement, the Dragon swung one hand at her and released a string of fire at her. Summer gasped and lost her balance, nearly dropping her weapon. He didn't waste the moment and stood up, then lunged at her._

 _Tears streamed down Ruby's face. She started to back away slowly, but her eyes were covered by two hands. Raven leaned beside her ear to whisper._

 _"Don't look. I'll do it for you. It's… it's…"_

 _For what felt like hours, Ruby heard nothing but screaming, slashing, and roaring fire. It all ended with one particularly sharp yell, followed by several inhumane noises – like flesh being torn apart and bones being bludgeoned._

 _"O-oh M-moon, it's going to end soon, right?" Ruby whispered. "Please, just let it end…"_

 _"Ruby. You… you can open your eyes. She's… alive?"_

 _Raven withdrew her hands and Ruby looked at her mother, who was on her knees, taking in deep breaths. Her attire was ruined, and blood flowed from numerous wounds... Yet it was the Dragon who lay dead, his upper torso disfigured from the work of Summer's scythe, and his skull reduced to half of its previous size._

 _"But… But…" Ruby shook her head and blinked her tears away. "If he's dead… She's… Is she going to die from the cold? But then why…?"_

 _"_ You _."_

 _A new voice cut through the blizzard. A young woman walked into Ruby and Raven's view, wearing nothing but a short dress despite of the weather she endured. Her hair was black as night, and her eyes as red as blood._

 _"You managed to kill him. Surprising, but… not much. He was arrogant, after all," she smiled humorlessly. "The Dragon. He actually dared to call himself that. As if he could ever wield a power of such magnitude."_

 _"What…?" Summer looked up. Her hands snaked towards her scythe, which she had dropped on the ground beside her. "Who are you? More importantly… Do you want to die too?"_

 _"Oh, you have spirit. How admirable," the mysterious woman stepped closer to her. "I won't be cryptic with you. There's no point, after all. You'll be dead soon."_

 _Twin flames burst to life in her hands, and she leaned down to look Summer directly in the eyes._

 _"I am Cinder Fall, descendant of an ancient, powerful, and_ vindictive _line. People like you – Vale-folk – betrayed us. You killed us, branded us demons and heretics, and took our throne."_

 _She touched Summer on the cheek._

 _"And now, I will take it all back. I will destroy each and every one of you; tear down your homes brick by brick… And you, Summer Rose… You will have the honor of helping me accomplish it all."_

 _She flicked her hand, and Summer's pupils shrank. Cinder extended her arms to her sides and closed her eyes. Suddenly, her entire body turned into flames, and they surged towards Summer, entering through her mouth and nostrils._

 _Summer's pupils returned to normal size and she gripped the ground below her, arching her back in pain. Her eyes flashed from silver to red repeatedly, the former disappearing sooner each time the shift occurred._

 _Then, she let out one final scream, and her eyes stayed red._

 _Cinder Fall cracked her neck, picked up the scythe, and rose to her feet._

* * *

The dream ended as abruptly as it began. Silence permeated in the cave as Ruby struggled to not start crying, and Raven registered what she had just witnessed.

It started to rain again.

"Ruby," Raven whispered. "Will you be fine?"

"Yeah," the redhead girl lied down on the ground and hugged her legs. "I just want to be quiet for some time."

"Alright. Be like that for as long as you need."

Ruby closed her eyes, but Raven knew she wouldn't go to sleep. Silently, the red-eyed woman stood and walked to the entrance of the cavern. The rain was not as violent as the previous one. That one had been angry, vengeful, scary… this one carried another message entirely.

Raven looked down at the ground. Her heart skipped a beat. A Shade was there, standing at the base of the spire, its unidentifiable head seemingly turned up to look straight back at her.

No. That was just her imagination, or a coincidence.

Raven took a deep breath and looked away. So now she knew the Dragon was dead. That revelation brought her immeasurable joy, but she would be lying if she said there wasn't a small part of her that felt sad. Horrible human being or not, he had been her kin, the only person who understood her.

And maybe it would have been better if he had stayed alive, if he were the enemy, and not this… Cinder Fall. They had no information on that woman, except that she was powerful, vengeful, and merciless. At least they could have exploited the Dragon's arrogance or his distorted sense of honor.

It would be a difficult battle, and one last question remained. Raven looked back at Ruby, lying immobile at the back of the cave.

How would she return Ruby to the real world?

Raven sighed and looked down at the base of the spire.

The Shade was not there anymore.

* * *

 **Holy. Crap. This was a challenge to write! I had figured before I started that this would be a long chapter. I mean, I had to pack so much stuff in here - the Dream World stuff, Raven, the STRQ backstory, the Dragon, Yang, Cinder... But I did NOT expect 10000+ words, which was what ended up happening.  
**

 **So, the length was the main reason why it took me extra time to get this done. Also, I got sick for a few days, which does not help with concentrating on an already tough writing session.**

 **I hope I didn't lay it too heavy with the exposition about the Dreaming stuff. It was necessary, but I think it could have been way smoother. Hopefully you didn't throw up because of it. (If you did, I'm... uh, sorry?)**

 **Also, at the time of my uploading this, I have yet to check the chapter for typos and monstrosities of similar nature. Honestly, I am totally burned out. I don't want to look at this chapter for at least a day. If anything really egregious is there, do warn me. Sowyy for being a lazyyyyboooones!**

 **(SPOILERS: Zwei still is Summer. Also the Dragon. And Cinder. And resurrected Fox. They're all the same person. Yep. That's the plot twist.)**

 **-Zeroan**


	17. Reaper

In the dream world, the sun rose and fell in the sky, but it never felt like it did so in regular timing. Sometimes, Raven would wait hours upon hours for night to come, and other times, daytime seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

Yet somehow, Ruby managed to build a schedule for herself. Perhaps it was General Ozpin's influence on her, Raven theorized. Every time the sun rose, Ruby left their little cave and went off to who-knows-where, then returned at dusk. What she did in-between was a mystery, and Raven wouldn't question her about it – she had come up with some decent answers by herself, anyway.

While the young redhead was away, Raven occupied her time with planning on how to send her back to the real world. They had tried a few times already, but either nothing had happened, or Ruby had been launched into a distant, foreign dream, as she described it. Raven worried that another failure would lead to the girl never waking up again.

But Ruby wouldn't give up, and neither would Raven. In the dream world, they could do anything, if they only had the will for it. Like any other challenge, it would take time and effort to succeed… but they would do it.

* * *

Life was tough. Of course, Weiss had never been naive or stupid enough to think otherwise, but even so, the sudden change in her lifestyle was dizzying, to say the least. There were no soft mattresses, no punctual meals with exotic ingredients, no personal physicians and bodyguards to see after her person.

There was just… _living_.

Everything about the Arc family was just _astounding_ to her. Miss Arc – or Joanna, as she insisted Weiss call her – was constantly busy with one task or another. She had a job as a launderer, it seemed, and that had her out of her house for most of the day. She had to work hard to keep her children fed.

Children who – and that was the most shocking revelation Weiss was confronted with – _also_ left for most of the day to work. The younger ones stayed home, being cared for by the oldest of that bunch – Julie, currently, who was eight-years-old. The rest – Jill, Jaqueline and Jean – went with their mother.

And Jaune… Weiss had seen him but once since the night of her escape, when he had returned home after checking for Pyrrha. The look on his face had spoken more than a thousand words. He left shortly after, leaving her no chance to question him about the Pyrrha's condition.

Not that she needed any confirmation.

Weiss stayed inside, all day, all night, feeling useless and sorry for herself. She tried to help Julie with the children, but she couldn't cook, or sow, or make a scratch more bearable. Julie didn't say a word, but Weiss knew she was being a nuisance, so she resolved to let the girl do her work and not inconvenience her anymore.

Not once did Miss Arc question why Weiss had to take refuge in her house, or how long she would be staying. She didn't even demand that Weiss do anything but eat and rest. It made her wonder if Jaune had somehow told his mother who she truly was. That would explain the special privilege.

With so much free time, Weiss had plenty of opportunities to plan for her future. She was a queen exiled in her own city, with no allies but a lowly soldier boy who had broken all contact with her and a general who she had betrayed and condemned to death.

She had power of her own, of course, but would it be sufficient? If Summer sent the entirety of the Guard at her, would she be able to fight them off? Did she _want_ to fight them off? They were her people. She should be fighting _for_ them.

And in the end, if she did manage to surpass the Guard, Summer would be there, sitting on her throne, wielding her own vile magic at the height of her capacity. The magic that had brought Ruby Rose and Pyrrha Nikos down – and her sister.

Weiss began to think that, perhaps, staying with the Arc family would be her best bet. Not a permanent solution, she _would not_ leech their food for any more time than was necessary, but… She didn't have to fight. She didn't have to rebel.

Evil or not, Summer had earned Vale's throne, and so far, had she done anything wrong with the power it gave her? No. As for the Schnees…

She felt ashamed to even consider that possibility, but she couldn't lie to herself. It was tempting. Easier. Less blood would be shed that way.

Or so she liked to believe.

The harsh truth came out of the blue one day, as someone knocked on the front door. Julie went to it and opened it slightly, and Weiss stayed outside of view with her head down, just out of caution – and that payed off immensely.

"Miss," a gruff voice reached her ears, and she could easily imagine the soldier it belonged to. "I'm sorry to bother you."

"Uh, it's alright," Julie tilted her head, cheeks reddening at an alarming rate. From the way her eyes darted up and down, Weiss assumed the soldier was very impressive-looking – at least to a child's eyes. "Can I help you with something?"

"I hope so. We're searching for a missing girl," the soldier responded. "She is seventeen-years-old, with white hair and blue eyes. Have you seen her recently?"

Weiss tensed visibly and stared unblinkingly at Julie. The Arc girl gave her a brief look, saw her shake her head, then shrugged.

"I don't think I've seen anyone like that," she smiled. "Sorry!"

"It's alright. If you see her, contact the Guard as fast as possible. This is an urgent matter. Have a good day."

Julie closed the door and turned to Weiss. The exiled queen looked away, feeling the other children's fixed staring also.

"What was that about, Snow?" Julie asked, seemingly only out of curiosity, and nothing else.

"Nothing important," Weiss smiled shakily. "You… you shouldn't concern yourself with it right now."

Julie's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but after but a few seconds, she danced away from the door, humming a little tune beneath her breath. Weiss let out her breath, not having noticed she had been holding it before.

She had been lucky in so many ways. The soldier could have demanded to search the house. Julie could have ratted her out. Summer herself could have been standing outside.

Weiss had a feeling she wouldn't be so lucky the next time someone came knocking on the door.

* * *

Blake recovered fast – so fast, she felt a bit disturbed about it. The White Fang's healers told her they had used some special kinds of herbs on her, but their answers sounded rehearsed, as if they were repeating a lie someone had ordered them to say.

She was free to wander inside Fort Blacknight's walls, but she did little of time, preferring to stay on the small room that had been assigned to her, reading. No matter how she felt about the White Fang, she couldn't deny they had an impressive library. Well, perhaps not _impressive_ , but she had never seen something like it before. The royal library was probably a hundred times bigger… but she hadn't gotten the chance to explore it, in the end.

Blake only left her room to eat. Every member of the White Fang, except Adam, lunched and dinned together on the main hall, where a dozen or so tables had been set up. There were hundreds of faunus there, yet Blake always managed to sit alone.

Because of that, she had plenty of opportunities to examine those who surrounded her. Most of them seemed normal; faunus who had been wronged by humans in the past and, though some way or another, had joined up to rebel against them. They were just like her.

There were others who were more outspoken on their hatred. They couldn't wait to have the chance to conquer and kill humans, and they weren't afraid to say it – not that they should be afraid, considering their company. Blake wanted to hate them, or at least feel some disgust at their demeanor, but she couldn't. Deep down, she admired them, and she felt ashamed about it.

And then there were the four humans.

Roman Torchwick, who she had already met. He was the _owner_ of Fort Blacknight, or so she had heard. It made sense. Why else would the faunus put up with his presence and assistance?

He had an assistant, a second shadow, always following him around, knives flashing in the dark along with a wide, sadistic smile. Neopolitan. To say Blake was disturbed by her would be an understatement.

Mercury Black. Just a mercenary, as far as she could tell. Perhaps he was an underling of Torchwick's. There was little to wonder about him.

And finally, Emerald Sustrai. Whenever they met eyes, Blake could practically _feel_ the tension crackling between them. Blake didn't doubt that the thief would slide a dagger between her ribs if she got the chance, and, frankly, Blake didn't feel much differently.

These four's presence spoke volumes to Blake, especially when she realized that the faunus never complained about them. They were smug, arrogant, sometimes outright disrespectful, but they were allowed to stay.

And Adam always had an eye on them.

One day, when she was reading, Adam knocked on her door and entered shortly after. His sword was at his hip, and his face was somehow more serious than ever before.

"The time has come, Blake," he said. "Today is the day you prove yourself as one of us."

She stared at him in silence for a moment, then closed her book.

"Where are we going?"

* * *

Ruby skipped over a small stream, her feet clanging against the rocks beneath her. Briefly, she wondered what would happen if she slipped and hit her head – or something equally tragic. Maybe she'd die, or _maybe_ she'd wake up.

With each passing day in the dream world, it became clearer to her that it was best not to think about such matters. If ever she should wake up, it would be because of Raven's efforts, and not because of some semi-suicidal endeavor.

She wasn't the kind of girl to do that, anyway. Just the thought of it terrified her.

Ruby arrived at the other side of the stream and hit the snowy soil of the plains again. Despite of the shiver-inducing weather, the water hadn't frozen. Weird, but, once again – dream world, best not to think about it.

She had taken a liking to exploring this strange land. Not only did it always lead to many astounding discoveries, but it also gave her an excuse to leave the cave. Raven wasn't unpleasant company, but she was so focused on their mission, Ruby felt useless next to her.

At least outside, she could learn, get smarter, hone her skills. That was something she could only do by visiting some memories that Raven perhaps wouldn't want to remember. From being charmed by a warlock, losing a brother, and watching her daughter grow up without being able to so much as touch her… Raven had suffered enough already, and Ruby didn't want to cause her any more pain.

Thankfully, the blizzard of the plains wasn't as fierce as it had appeared to be from far away. It was certainly different from the one that plagued Vale's winters. Ruby could walk easily through it and clearly see what was ahead of her. Shades crossed her path sometimes, but she wasn't scared of them. If anything, she felt pity for them.

She had never wandered so far away from the cave before, and she was a little worried she wouldn't be able to find her way back. She didn't want to give up just yet, though, as there was one very particular objective to her current journey.

Earlier in the day, as she finished her training, she caught a glimpse of something shiny within the blizzard, a dazzling beacon of light piercing through the veil of the snowstorm. She had no idea what it was, but she was drawn to it, and despite the dangers, she didn't hesitate to go looking for it.

She kept her goal in her thoughts at all times, and somehow, she knew she was going the right way, ever deeper into the blizzard. Maybe she was just imagining it, but the cold was starting to sting her unprotected face and hands. Ruby pulled her cloak closer to her and leaned her head down, trying to warm herself up.

Finally, she arrived at her destination, and it was certainly the strangest thing she had seen yet. Thick layers of ice protruded from the ground, twisting and turning to form a sphere many times her size. Ruby narrowed her eyes and tried to see if there was anything inside, but the numerous layers and raging storm made it impossible.

Still, there _was_ something there. She knew it, just as she knew it was important – important enough for her to risk getting lost in dangerous, unknown territory without a second thought. If only she could see…

Ruby pondered her predicament for a moment, then extended her arms beyond the reach of her cloak. A scythe appeared on her hands, and she lifted it above her head, eyes wavering in determination.

"Hah!"

She brought the weapon down with a mighty swing, but the ice was too resilient. Ruby stumbled back, her arms trembling from the impact of the blow.

"Well, that's just unfair," she mumbled, eyeing the sphere disappointedly. "How am I supposed to free you?"

She frowned and shook her head, surprised by her own words. So there was someone inside the sphere. Good to know. If only she could figure out who they were and why they were important… Or she could keep trying to shatter the ice and find out in a simpler manner.

Ruby raised her scythe again, but suddenly the ground started to rumble beneath her feet, making her stumble around, trying to regain her balance. Something akin to a roar reached her ears, muffled but still somewhat loud. When she looked up again, a wave of fear overwhelmed her.

At the other side of the ice, a lone figure stood, its features hidden in shadow, except for its burning, hateful eyes.

Ruby screamed, ran away, and never looked back.

* * *

As it turned out, Blake wouldn't be going anywhere with Adam, as he directed her to a group of roughly twenty faunus, led by no one other than Roman Torchwick. She was more than displeased by the turn of events, but she didn't dare to protest, seeing as how this would be her first mission.

They left the fort at night and stalked through the streets of Vale, hidden in the shadows. More than once, they came across guardsmen patrolling the town, but they were taken care of swiftly. Blake's resolve wavered when that happened, but she steeled herself and kept moving.

Eventually, they arrived at a wide open square, lined with plentiful trees and flower-covered bushes. A wall and a gate stood in their way, and behind those, a fort so massive it could rival the magnificence of Vale Castle itself. Soldiers patrolled its perimeters dutifully, but still far enough that they couldn't see the approaching White Fang.

"So, ladies, gentlemen…" Roman looked back at his troops with a slight smile on his lips. The tone of his voice made it very clear that he thought of them as anything _but_ ladies and gentlemen. "Our mission is very simple. Climb over the wall, take out the guards, invade the castle. This beautiful thing belongs to some noble or another – alright, I'm kidding. I know exactly who owns the place. One does not become a crime lord by being an ignorant errand boy."

He tapped his cane against his shoulder and winked at Blake.

"Lord Port – yes, that is not a joke – won't be pleased by our visit. _Someone_ will have to make sure he keeps his mouth shut, and by _that_ , I mean _kill him_ ," he said. "Any volunteers?"

More than half of them raised their hands immediately, Blake being one of the few who didn't.

"Alrighty, then. Those of you who raised your hands get to kill the guards," Roman chuckled deviously. "Those who abstained get to kill Lord Noblepig. Afterwards, we'll free all the poor, poor slaves he has holed up in there."

A cacophony of groans and growls rose, but Roman put a stop to it shortly by unsheathing his pistol and spinning it around his finger leisurely, his eyes fixed intently on the small crowd in front of him.

Anger bubbled up inside Blake, and not for the first time, she asked herself why Adam gave so much authority to Roman Torchwick. Not only was he a racist, a human and a criminal, but he was now playing games on an important mission.

"Any objections, kitty?"

Blake looked up and met eyes with Roman. Her fists shook at her sides, close to the daggers on her hips. She took a deep breath and looked away.

"No."

"Good," Roman turned and gestured to the castle. "Now go! And make sure not to make too much of a ruckus yet."

The faunus parted from the shadows and rushed over to the walls, their steps echoing lightly on the paved floor. Even as they climb over the walls, the guards were unaware of their presence. Blake followed quietly with her daggers drawn.

One of her companions threw a knife, and it arced through the air until it buried itself on a guard's neck. Blood poured from the wound as the man fell to the ground. The other soldiers sprung to attention, swearing in anger and fright, but soon they too were engaged in combat by the faunus.

Roman stepped past Blake, spinning his cane distractedly, and kicked the front doors of the castle open. He entered with a slow walk, Blake and five other faunus following with much more attention.

They marched through the hallways of the castle with their weapons drawn, but for a long time, nobody stood in their path. Then a loud pistol shot sounded outside the castle, and people started to pour out of their rooms at once, screaming in surprise at first, then in terror as they realized the castle was being invaded by the ruthless White Fang.

"Leave them be," Roman said dismissively. "Unless they have a gun, of course. I wouldn't want your heads to be blown off."

As they climbed the stairs to the higher floors of the castle, soldiers appeared before them, wielding lances and rifles. Blake cursed and leaped to the side, quickly enough to avoid being riddled with bullets on the spot. Unfortunately, two of her companions weren't as savvy and rolled down the steps, dead.

The soldiers started to reload, and the faunus unleashed their own attacks, taking the advantage as it was presented to them. The humans fell down, wounded by bullets and thrown knifes. Blake had to close the distance, but she was quick enough to make it there alive.

Her battle instincts kicked into gear as the lance-wielding soldiers tried to pierce her through. She snaked around their attacks and edged closer, stabbing one soldier at a time before retreating, never lingering for too long. By the time she was done, seven men and women were strewn around her, dead or bleeding to death.

"Damn, kitty," Roman whistled as he climbed up the steps. "You're one hell of a fighter. Remind me to save more girls from the brink of death in dark alleys."

"I wish you would shut up." Blake blurted out.

He only smiled and kept walking. Blake looked back and saw only one more of them had survived, a girl with short brown hair holding a knife in one hand and a pistol in the other. A furry monkey tail was wrapped around her waist protectively.

"Do you feel alive?" She asked breathlessly as she walked past Blake.

"No," Blake replied. "Not at all."

"Yeah. Me neither."

* * *

Venturing out at night in a place she was not familiar with was probably not the wisest decision Weiss had taken in her life – which said a lot, considering how many mistake she had committed recently. She had her rapier, and her magic, but using either of these would draw attention she most definitely did not want.

But she couldn't stay with the Arc family. Not tonight. With her son having practically vanished, Joanna was growing ever more worried, and Weiss had seen the woman was reaching a breaking point. So when Jill had come back home today and told everyone she had spotted Jaune around a certain tavern, Weiss insisted she gave her directions to it.

What she would do when she got there, Weiss had no clue. She wasn't the comforting type, and she wasn't sure Jaune would appreciate if she tried to be, considering the circumstances of his grief. However, she couldn't allow him to waste his life away in a tavern. Queen or not, she was determined to do one thing right for at least one of her people.

Fortunately, Jaune's tavern of choice didn't appear as horrible and seedy as she had imagined. In fact, it almost looked like a perfectly normal restaurant. _The Moon Drinker_. A bit blasphemous, but she wasn't about to make a problem out of that.

Her expectations were crushed when she entered the tavern and her nose was struck by the scent of heavy beer and cider. The noise inside was almost deafening, coming from what looked to be more than fifty costumers at once, spread in round tables or in seats next to the bartender's counter.

As she examined the drunken populace of the tavern, Weiss was glad for the clothes Joanna had supplied her. When she had first worn the leggings and woolen shirt, Weiss had felt repulsive and dirty, but now, she felt safe. A dress was not meant to be worn in such places – especially a dress that obviously belonged to someone of high class.

It took a while, but she eventually recognized Jaune sitting in a table at a corner of the tavern, alone and far away from the rest of the clientele. Weiss cleared her throat and walked to him, ignoring the looks that were being shot her way.

"Jaune." She said as she sat down at his side.

"Your Highness," he looked surprised for a moment, before his face turned somber again. "You shouldn't be here. It's really not safe for you."

"And who are you to tell anyone to stay away from this sickening place?" Weiss looked around them with disgust. "Blood and bones, this is repulsing."

Jaune just raised a glass of beer to his mouth and took a long sip of it. Weiss watched wordlessly, her disgust quickly being replaced by regret.

"I… apologize. I didn't mean to be so harsh. You certainly have your reasons to want to be here," she said. "How… How did Lady Nikos die?"

He continued to drink for almost a full minute, then finally laid his empty glass down on the table.

"I wasn't there to watch, but I saw her body being carried away," he muttered. "There was a huge hole in her chest, too big for a sword, lance, or any kind of gun. It was some other weapon I don't know about. I heard the guards saying General Rose killer her, though."

"That explain the wound," Weiss nodded somberly. "She used her scythe."

"Yeah, must have been that," Jaune agreed emotionlessly. "Word is, Pyrrha shot four soldiers in cold blood before Summer heroically stopped her. Unfortunately, the General wasn't fast enough to reach the queen and her kidnapper afterwards."

Weiss felt sick to the stomach, and not because of the stench of the tavern. Something felt wrong about the story. When she had left with Jaune, the last thing Weiss had witnessed was Pyrrha getting ready to battle Summer. So when would she have had the time and opportunity to murder four soldiers?

"So Summer managed to trick everyone into thinking I was kidnapped," Weiss said angrily. "That witch. Does she know you were involved?"

"I don't think so. I was never important enough to be noticed by the likes of her," Jaune shrugged. "They say the Guard is looking for you, searching everyone's houses."

"Yes. A soldier came by this morning. I was lucky he didn't come in," she shook her head. "I'm putting your family in danger. I'm sorry," Weiss raised her chin and turned her head to look him directly in the eyes. "Jaune, I need you to come back. You're the only ally I have left. It's only a matter of time before they decree me as a lost cause and Summer Rose becomes queen _for good_. We can't let her win."

"Weiss," Jaune sighed. She noticed that for the first time ever, he was using her real name, instead of a title. "Summer has already won."

Her shoulders dropped slowly as she stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

"Pyrrha is dead. Ruby is as good as dead," Jaune listed, frustration coloring his voice. "General Ozpin is gone or dead. We have no clue what happened to Blake Belladonna. Summer has the entire Council and the Guard under her spell. It's over."

"No! No, it's not over!" Weiss exclaimed, drawing the attention of people nearby. She lowered her head and spoke again in a softer tone. "We can't give up. Not when so many people have given so much for-"

"It's over," Jaune interrupted firmly. "You need to accept that and move on. That's what I'm doing right now. If you're not happy with it, find your own way."

Weiss could do nothing but stare at him in desolation as he called a waitress and asked for another glass. The white-haired girl got up and walked to the front door slowly, feeling numb and powerless.

As she stepped outside, a rush of air hit her face and she felt tears stinging her eyes. Weiss halted and rubbed an arm on her eyes. Was Jaune right? Was everything truly over?

It surely felt like it.

She withdrew her arm and looked around. Her only choice was to go back to the Arc house. Before she began walking, though, something caught her attention. A pair or girls was nearing the tavern, one of them wearing a long cloak that concealed most of her appearance. Something about them was oddly familiar…

"Hey," the girl not wearing a cloak spoke impatiently as they reached the tavern. "You're in front of the door. Could you stand aside for a moment?"

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize-" Weiss paused. "Wait. Coco. You're Coco Adel, right? The survivor from the watchtower breach."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for reminding me of that," Coco muttered. "Come on, Velvet, let's go inside."

Both Weiss and Velvet froze in place in front of the tavern, their eyes locking in surprise and fright. Coco looked from one to the other in confusion, before realization hit her. Suddenly, Weiss found herself at the receiving end of a mean-looking pistol.

"You're the bloody queen. Kidnapped, right?" Coco spat. "Give me one reason not to shoot you right now."

"W-why would you shoot me?" Weiss stuttered. "You just said I'm the queen!"

"It doesn't really matter to me. Not since everyone I cared about died in that watchtower and you made it into some big conspiracy," Coco's eyes narrowed in anger. "Not since I found Velvet freezing in an alley because she had nowhere else to go. You were going to have her executed!"

"I-I… I…"

Weiss closed her eyes. She didn't know how to refute those words. Perhaps it was because Coco was right. The soldier had the right to be more than angry at her.

"C-Coco," Velvet whispered fearfully. "L-let's just go inside. Please?"

"She decreed your death." Coco said with finality.

"I know. _Please_."

Coco's eyes wandered from Weiss to Velvet several times before she grunted and lowered her gun.

"If I see you again, you're dead." She warned.

"…Thank you." Weiss managed to say as Coco and Velvet entered the tavern.

With her heart beating fast inside her chest, Weiss walked away from the tavern, one hand wrapped around the hilt of her rapier.

* * *

"And here is Lord Noblepig's quarters!" Roman announced merrily as they stopped before a huge set of double doors. He kicked them open and gestured inside. "Ladies first."

Blake entered, accompanied by the brown-haired survivor. They took three steps into a lavish room decorated with an enormous bed and several wardrobes and were immediately at the aim of a dozen rifle-wielding soldiers.

Blake dived to the side, dragging her ally to the ground with her. Bullets pierced the walls of the hallway behind them. Windows shattered. Her ears rang sharply.

Roman peeked from the corner of the door and shot once, taking down a single soldier. Blake followed that up by tossing one of her daggers, which lodged itself on another's forehead, bringing him down.

"Good kitty!" Roman began to shoot continuously, bringing down another three soldiers. The brown-haired girl joined his efforts with her own pistol.

Blake leaped to the soldiers and lashed out at them with her remaining dagger. The next seconds went by like a blur as blood splashed all around her, accompanied by pained screams and the dropping of metallic weapons.

Finally, she stopped. Blake took a deep breath and leaned down, retrieving her second dagger, then looked ahead of her. A man in luxurious clothes was pressing himself against a corner of the room, his eyes and mouth widened in terror. The buttons of his shirt were almost popping, and a thick gray mustache concealed part of his face.

Time seemed to slow down as Blake locked eyes with him. Her arms began to tremble, and she almost dropped her daggers. She could hear his ragged breathing as if he were right next to her ear.

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm s-so sorry, please don't – don't kill me."

"Well, kitty," Roman said behind her. "Are you going to finish the job or not?"

Blake closed her eyes, then leaned down and swung with a dagger. She was met with resistance briefly before Port's pleas stopped.

"Well done," Roman chuckled. "You might prove to be worthwhile after all."

Blake stepped away from Port and neared the doorway. She stopped briefly to look down. The brown-haired girl was dead on the floor, blood pouring from the back of her head.

The back of her head. But how?

"Well, we should get going," Roman said. "The others might still be fighting down there."

"Yeah," Blake's eyes narrowed. Despite her best intentions, all her hatred was evident in her voice. "Let's make sure they're still alive."

* * *

Ruby raced up the spire, her cloak flying wildly behind her. She came to a halt before the cave, where she fell to her knees, breathing hard and fast.

Raven got up at the back of the cave and walked to her with a worried look in her face. Her eyes wandered curiously to the scythe in the redhead's hands.

"You look rattled." She said unceremoniously.

"I _look_ rattled?" Ruby repeated breathlessly. "I _am_ rattled!"

"Hmm. Poor choice of words," Raven smirked. "I warned you not to wander too far. What happened?"

Ruby waited a minute before attempting to speak again.

"I went searching for something weird in the blizzard," she explained. "It turned out to be this… big ice sphere-thing? I tried to smash it open, because… uh, I had a feeling that was the right thing to do."

"Ah, yes. That was a very sound approach." Raven said dryly.

"It wasn't!" Ruby exclaimed, not detecting her companion's sarcasm. "The ice didn't break, then… _something_ showed up inside the sphere. It was looking right at me."

Raven frowned. What had sounded before like another silly adventure had become much more worrying.

"It looked at you?" Raven repeated. "Are you sure it wasn't a Shade?"

"I'm sure. It had big flaming eyes," Ruby paused. "Just like Cinder's…"

"…It was nothing. Probably another strange phenomenon of this world," Raven said slowly. "There's no use worrying over it."

Ruby swallowed dryly, then nodded and moved deeper into the cave, where she sat down and leaned against a wall. She looked at her hands and blinked in astonishment, seeming to only then notice she was still carrying her scythe. She concentrated for a brief moment, and suddenly it vanished, as if it had never been there.

"You don't have to hide that from me," Raven said. "Have you been using your mother's memories to learn how to use a scythe?"

"Y-yes," Ruby looked away shamefully. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."

"Ruby, it truly doesn't matter. I had a feeling you were doing that, anyway," the red-eyed woman assured. "Besides, it's your mother, your legacy. I have no right to keep you from that – and I don't want to."

"That's… very nice of you," Ruby smiled. "It's easier than I expected. The hardest part is learning how to manage my weight when I swing the scythe, but once I got to that…"

Raven nodded and sat down in front of her.

"I had an idea about how to get you back to the real world," she said. "I know we've tried a lot already, but I'm confident on this method. Do you want to try?"

"Sure!" Ruby replied immediately. "I'm a little tired, but that doesn't change anything, right?"

"It shouldn't," Raven said. "So far, we've tried to lead you back by manipulating your dreams, but I don't think that's the right path. Cinder Fall _forced_ you into this realm by using her magic, just as the Dragon did to me. I believe I can muster the same magic and send you _the other way_."

"Ooh! That sounds smart!" Ruby joined her hands anxiously. "Do I need to do anything?"

"It might help if you keep your thoughts focused on the real world," the red-eyed woman theorized. "Things like places, feelings, the people you care about. It could serve as an anchor on your journey. Are you ready?"

Ruby took a deep breath, then nodded firmly a single time.

Raven waited a moment, as if she were hesitant to follow the plan, then raised a hand and waved it in front of Ruby's eyes. A few seconds passed, but nothing happened. Raven shook her head, focused her mind, then waved again.

This time, Ruby's pupils shrank to half their usual size, and she began to fall on her back. Raven moved fast and caught her, struggling not to break her concentration. Ruby was still in her arms, still dreaming – not real.

"Ruby," she called softly. "Come on. _Focus._ Think of everyone's who's counting on you. Think of the devastation Cinder Fall will unleash on Vale. Only you can dismantle her lies. _You_ are the answer."

For a while, it seemed like her words had some effect, but then, Ruby's pupils returned to normal, and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Raven. The older woman pursed her lips, biting back an angry admonishment as she felt the redhead trembling all over.

"I-I'm sorry," Ruby whispered. "I was almost t-there, but I couldn't do it. I lost it! I mean, what do I have to get back to? Yang left the city, and I would have to tell her we aren't really sisters. Weiss thinks I'm a traitor. Blake might be dead, for all I know!"

"Ruby… You can't run from your problems," Raven said softly, leaning the girl back so she could look into her eyes. "If you stay here and hide, you'll never find out what's next. You'll never get to see your friends again. This, Ruby? _This_ isn't life. You can try to pretend, you can conjure anything you want, but it won't be _real_ ," she smiled sadly. "I would do anything to meet my daughter, to touch her, to talk to her, even if she hated me, because that would mean I'm alive. That's what's important. _Living_."

Slowly, Ruby stopped shaking. Tears shone in her silver eyes as she looked at Raven.

"I want to go back," she muttered. "But I'll never be able to see my parents again."

Raven closed her eyes, for a moment completely out of words.

"It's alright, though," Ruby said, her tone growing more confident. "They've always been with me. Nothing's changed. I will honor their legacy… and I will make my own."

She clenched her fists.

"Raven. Let's try again."

* * *

Less than half of the group returned to Fort Blacknight with their lives. They were welcomed back with applause, but Blake ignored it and headed straight to her room.

To say she felt sick would be an understatement. It was as if every part of her body and soul was dirty with blood. Her mind kept wandering back to Port's pleas, her fallen companions, and Roman's perverse attitude.

Bloody Moon, just the thought of that devil had her trembling with ire. If it weren't for his position as a White Fang authority, Blake would have killed him already.

And that was the thing that scared her the most. What had she become? She had taken so many lives today. How many of those soldiers had had families? Did they deserve to die because of one Lord's cruel manners? Manners which he had not chosen, but had been born into.

Had Weiss been wrong to accuse her of being a murderer?

What would Ruby think of her if she ever woke up?

She stayed up late into the night pondering these questions. Just as the lull of sleep started to fall on her, the door of her room opened, and Adam stepped inside. She sat on the edge of her bed hastily, reaching for the daggers next to her pillow.

"Relax," Adam raised his hands peacefully. "I'm here to make a proposition."

"Again?" Blake asked bitterly. "I've already agreed to join your rebellion. What more do you want from me?"

"I understand your frustration. You had a quite distressful night, didn't you?" He said. "You met and surpassed all my expectations, Blake. I think you're exactly the person I was looking for."

Blake eyes him suspiciously as he pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. Adam leaned forward slightly and interlaced his fingers above his knees, as if he were about to speak of something that was meant for her ears only.

"It was not a coincidence that I put you under the command of Torchwick on your first mission. Believe me when I say I know all about his treacherous ways," he said. "I don't like him at all."

"Then why is he still here?" Blake asked.

"Because it's not my choice, unless I want to draw _someone's_ wrath down on our roof," Adam explained. "You see, the White Fang did not rise to power on its own. We had the help of Summer Rose, as she calls herself, to free captive faunus and spread our influence across the city. She even allowed us to assassinate the King and Queen ten years ago," he shook his head regretfully. "In return, we agreed to help her secure her claim on the throne by serving as a public enemy. I planned to turn things around on her when the right time arrived, but she is too powerful, as you already know."

Blake nodded silently. Everything could be traced back to Summer in this town. She wondered just how far the witch's influence spread.

"Rose planted Torchwick and his companions inside the White Fang to keep an eye on us. I suspect she made a similar deal with him to obtain his loyalty. Roman made a name for himself around the time she established herself in Vale." Adam told.

"Alright. So you want him gone," Blake said. "Where do I come in?"

"I don't want only _him_ gone. I want all of them gone – Emerald, Mercury, Neopolitan, Weiss Schnee, and most importantly, Summer Rose."

He grabbed a small pouch on his belt and showed it to Blake. Carefully, he opened it and deposited something on his right hand. The brunette's eyes fixed intensely on the odd object – a small gemstone as black as night, with seemingly endless depth.

"This, Blake, was a gift from our kind Regent," Adam smiled. "It can give a person great power, the likes of which could match her magic. You will use it to bring her down."

"But…" Blake mumbled, still fixated on the gemstone. "Why me…?"

"You have every motive to want them dead. Summer almost killed you, and the Queen… she turned on you in the blink of an eye, despite of your misplaced loyalty," he whispered. "You deserve revenge."

Blake reached forward, her hand wandering slowly towards the rock. Her fingers brushed the smooth surface, sending chills down her arms. She closed her hand around the gemstone, and suddenly, she was falling in the middle of a dark maelstrom.

* * *

Weiss opened the front door gently, trying to make the least noise possible. Time had passed faster than she had predicted, and midnight had already come and gone. She slipped inside with soft steps and looked around the house.

The kids were all sleeping already, bundled up near each other on a thick blanket on the ground. Their snores echoed lightly throughout the house. Sitting on a chair, still awake, was Joanna Arc. There were lines of worry around her eyes, but when she saw Weiss come in, they softened and disappeared partially.

"Snow," she whispered. "You're back. Did you find him?"

"I did. Jaune is having… difficulty, dealing with Lady Nikos' death, but he will persevere and return to you. I guarantee it." Weiss said. It wasn't a complete lie. She believed every word she said.

"That's great news," Joanna smiled. "There's some leftover soup from dinner. It's cold, but I can warm it up for you in a few minutes. You must be hungry."

"I… I am, but I won't accept your food, Miss Arc. Not anymore," Weiss bowed her head solemnly. "I appreciate that you housed and fed me without asking for anything in return, but I can't allow it to go on any longer. Every second I spend in this house, I put you and your children at risk," she paused, considering her next words carefully. "As Queen of Vale, it is my responsibility to see that you are safe. I must leave."

Joanna did not seem surprised. In fact, she even smiled a little, as if she had known the truth all along. Weiss frowned, thinking that she had underestimated this woman.

"If that's what you think is best, then I will not argue," Joanna said. "But where will you go? What will you do?"

"I will survive, somehow," Weiss opened the door. "Survive and move on."

She stepped outside and cast one last look at the children sleeping on the ground, a bittersweet smile appearing on her lips.

"Farewell, Miss Arc."

* * *

Cinder's fingers tapped on the arms of Vale's throne. She sat alone in the dark, eyes flashing from silver to red every few seconds.

She had never been so furious before in her life.

Everything was going right, yet at the same time, everything was going wrong. It was like she was reaching for something, getting close enough to brush her fingers against then, and then suddenly it rose out of reach.

She had the throne, but it wasn't truly hers. The damned Schnee girl had somehow broken her spell and ran away, and now she was nowhere to be found. Nobody seemed to know the identity of her blond ally. It drove Cinder crazy. How could there be such an important player she didn't know a single thing about?

And then there was Ozpin. Yes, he had disappeared for a month now, but she was wise enough to know he wasn't gone. He was waiting for her to drop her guard, and when she least expected it, he would strike. Cinder did not consider many people dangerous enemies, but Ozpin was one of them.

Yang Xiao-Long – that surname invoked a deep ire in her – was out of reach. After all the trouble Cinder had gone through to approach the girl, she just _left_. Her own blood, so dismissive to her call. She was more disappointed than angry at her, to be honest.

And now Ruby Rose was poking around places where she didn't belong. Even in sleep, that little rascal caused her trouble.

The more she thought about it, every problem she was facing had one common origin. Little Ruby Rose, so stubbornly naïve.

Her unpredictable emergence had casted the last drops of suspicion Ozpin had needed to discover who she truly was. Similarly, the girl had certainly had an effect on Weiss Schnee, bringing the likes of Blake Belladonna into her world. And Yang had left because of the loss of her supposed sister.

Yes. The Rose had more than its fair share of thorns, and Cinder had been pricked enough already.

The regent rose from her throne and walked away hurriedly, setting a determined march towards her room as she formulated her decisive revenge. It would be easy to get rid of the defenseless girl, but how could her sudden death be explained?

Easy. She cut her to pieces, enough so that her handiwork couldn't be recognized, and threw the blame at rebels who weren't content with her regency. Oh, sweet Moon, it was perfect! Not only would she not have to deal with the girl anymore, but it would serve as another tragic story to cement the council and the people's sympathy for her.

She almost knocked the door of her room off its hinges when she entered, so ecstatic she was about her plan. She would do it with the bloody scythe, too. What better weapon to kill Ruby Rose with than her mother's? It would be the perfect-

Where was the scythe? Cinder took a step back as she stared at the vacant space in the wall where she had hung Crescent Rose previously. Had a slave taken it for washing? Or had someone stolen it? No. It couldn't be. Who would have the guts to-

"Hey. Don't look so shocked," a familiar voice sounded nearby. "Seriously, that face does not fit you."

Cinder turned around. There, sitting at the edge of her balcony, was Ruby Rose, swinging her legs leisurely with a smile on her lips. In her hands she held Crescent Rose, its blade reflecting the pale moonlight.

"How… Why… You can't-" Cinder clenched her fists and took a deep breath, trying to regain a more composed posture. "I cursed you. You're not supposed to be awake."

"Well, _you_ are not supposed to have my mother's looks. We are both upset," Ruby shrugged. "I hope you won't mind that I'm taking back her scythe. It belongs in the family, you know?"

Cinder growled and summoned two flames on her hands, then tossed it at Ruby. To her confusion and dismay, the girl disappeared from sight, as if she had never been there.

"The only reason I won't kill you right now," Ruby whispered in her ear. "Is because I have more important things to do first."

A flash of red appeared before Cinder's eyes, and suddenly, Ruby was on the balcony once again, this time standing up on the edge, her cloak billowing behind her.

"Do you understand?" Ruby asked, her cheerful tone morphed into something sinister. "Every night, from now on, you will go to sleep wondering if I'll show up at your side. You'll look at every shadowy corner, asking yourself… _when will she come for me_? Because, Cinder Fall, I _will_ come for you," she smiled sweetly. "The Reaper is back. Sleep tight."

Ruby took a step back and plummeted down. Cinder stood frozen for a moment before she raced to the balcony, looking for the girl desperately, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

Cinder returned to her room and sat on her bed, her eyes wavering as she stared at the darkness surrounding her. For the first time in her life, she was feeling something she did not know how to deal with it.

She was afraid.

* * *

 **Aw. Yiiissss.  
**

 **God, this chapter had some scenes I'd been excited to write since the very beginning of the story. Ruby coming back and scaring the shit outta Cinder was one I was particularly looking forward to. I hope you liked it as much as I did.**

 **And, don't worry, Ruby hasn't turned into a soulless killing machine. She just _really_ does not like Cinder. Nobody does, actually, but Ruby is in the Top 3 "People who hate Cinder Fall the most", definitely. Also, her awesome new powers will be explained next chapter (Blake's too! Hype!).**

 **Oh, and Yang's still alive. I promise. She's important too!**

 **-Zeroan**


	18. Pieces

Darkness.

It surrounded her; robbed her of sight and mind; crawled on her skin like a million slimy bugs.

Time raced fast and slow, huge gaps of nothingness in-between.

She felt herself being torn apart, losing all sensation of being, yet being even more.

She was everywhere, and nowhere.

And then the agony ended.

* * *

Blake's eyes snapped open, her amber irises glowing faintly in the dark. Her wrists and ankles were bound to a stony bed. Water dripped from the ceiling and splashed on the floor somewhere near her. Every drop rang in her ears like a temple's bell.

She felt strange, as if some invisible layer had been dismantled around her. She could feel air brushing against her skin as if it were a breeze. Her already sharp vision was even sharper, allowing her to make out every detail of the rocky ceiling above her. Something drummed near her head; it took her a while to realize it was her own heartbeat, though it was far too infrequent.

Her memories came back to her bit by bit. The raid. Her fury at Torchwick. Returning to the fort. Adam's proposal. Accepting. And now she was immobile in a bed in a dingy basement.

Had she been tricked? No, it didn't make any sense. What reason would Adam have to lie to her about an awesome power that would allow her to kill Summer Rose? If he wanted her gone, all he had to do was kill her. He was stronger than her, she was sure, and nobody would miss her. Easy as breathing.

The only logical conclusion was that he had been afraid of the stone's power. From the vague memories of her painful transformation, Blake knew his fears had been justified. A person could go insane under such agony – she would have, if she hadn't suffered enough in her life already.

What power did she wield now? Adam had said it would match Summer's magic. So, was it magic too? Would she now be capable of twisting people's thoughts and release fire from her hands? She didn't feel well about any of that.

Her ears perked up as another sound joined the rhythm of the water drops, a lone pair of footsteps in the distance. Blake laid back on her bed, thinking it would be better if her visitor thought she was asleep. A couple minutes after, the light of a torch flooded the room, and Roman Torchwick appeared at her side.

"Well, well," he smiled. "Cat's still napping. Thanks for making the job easier."

With his free hand, he fished for something in his coat and retrieved a small vial containing a green liquid. He flicked the lid off and brought the vial closer to Blake's mouth. Her nostrils were invaded by a horrible stench, and tears stung behind her tightly-shut eyes. Her stomach turned and turned.

"Good night."

Blake gritted her teeth and shook her head without warning, slamming it against Roman's hand. The vial jumped from his grip and shattered against a wall, its content spilling hopelessly on the floor.

For a moment, the crime lord seemed startled as he took several steps backwards, until he stopped and stared at her furiously.

"You are one clever kitten," he muttered. "Tricking me."

"You would poison me?!" Blake shouted, not holding back a drop of her anger. "We're on the same side – or at least we should be! What do you think will happen to you now?!"

"Nothing, I believe, since you won't be leaving this bed alive," he produced a knife from his coat. "I didn't want it to be like this, you know? Too bloody - easy incrimination. Taurus wouldn't be able to lift a finger against me, of course, but it would be rather bothersome to deal with him. And, well… I do have a heart."

"No, you don't," she said. "You're just a sorry shell of a man, Torchwick. You have no soul, much less a heart. How many people have you killed to get your way?!"

Roman tilted his head and smirked, as if he found her question amusing.

"You are deceptively naïve, kitten. How many people have _I_ killed? What about you? Do you know the number off the top of your head?" He chuckled. "No, you don't. Nobody does – and that's fine! Because this – lying, stealing, skulking around, _murdering_ – this is what we have to do to live in this world. And that, my dear," he raised his knife above her head. "Is what I plan to keep doing. Lying, stealing, skulking around, _and_ -"

Blake screamed and pushed against her bindings, and she felt something come over her. Shadows swirled around her like smoke as she lunged at Roman, free. His eyes widened in horror and surprised as they crashed against a wall and Blake tore his knife from his hand.

Adrenaline pumping through her body, Blake swung the knife vertically. Roman gurgled, blood pouring from his throat, before he fell to the floor. A red pool formed around him. His torch still burned on the ground nearby.

Blake blinked, and suddenly she was at the bed again. Torchwick was still dead, or dying. Leather held her tightly in place.

"W-what?" She croaked, pushing against her restraints. "N-no. Out!"

She pushed again, and this time, she remained lying down – while shadows swirled on the bed beside her, forming a shadowy version of herself. Blake stared, transfixed, then nodded towards her bindings. The shadow worked at them fast with her hands, and after a few seconds, she was free.

Blake stood in front of her shadow, wondering if it would answer if she talked to it. An instant later, the being dispersed and rejoined with her.

"Blood and bones," she swore under her breath. "My shadow's unbound. My shadow's _unbound_ …"

She looked down at Torchwick. His knife laid next to his head, its blade red with blood. She picked it up and wiped it on her clothes while thinking of her next move.

She had to pay a visit to a certain someone.

* * *

The town square was just as Weiss remembered it during her first visit, full of merchants, children running around, and guards doing patrol. Before, she had been in the company of Ruby, Blake and Yang, but now she was alone. She knew even coming close to the place was dangerous.

She had cut her hair to fall down to her shoulders, but its pale coloration was still far too recognizable. She hoped the ragged hood she had gathered on the streets would be enough to conceal most of it. Her rapier was another case entirely, though. She left it at the corner she had taken for herself, hidden from greedy eyes.

Then again, maybe she should have brought it with her and sold it for a small fortune. It _was_ a royal heirloom, after all. But she wasn't ready to do that yet.

After taking a deep breath, Weiss walked into the plaza, very aware of how she stood out amongst everyone else. Small girl, but not childish complexion, dressed in a dirty dress made of worn-out fabric. She imagined bells ringing inside her head, warning her of danger.

But she was _so_ hungry.

She stopped before a vendor's tent and looked down at his wares. Apples, grapes, bread, cheese. Somehow, he'd managed to keep a decent ware midway through winter. Well, the food looked a little… _unhealthy_ , to her eyes, but she was past the point of being picky.

Five coins for an apple – and her world came crashing down. The vendor had his back turned to her, shuffling through a chest on his knees. The perfect opportunity.

Her stomach rumbled, but her hands refused to move. She felt sick, but she doubted it was entirely because of the hunger. Theft? Was this how far she was willing to lower herself? She was – had been the Queen of Vale. Why should she sit on its throne if she resorted to stealing from her own people?

Cursing herself and her standards, Weiss turned away and marched outside the plaza at a brisk pace. Just as she arrived at a narrow street, someone whistled above her, making her halt and look up in surprise.

A young man was sitting on a rooftop, his legs dangling over the edge carelessly. He had short blond hair and, to Weiss' indignation, was wearing nothing but pants and an open vest which displayed his chest for anyone to see.

"Hey. Good show," he said cheerfully. "Always warms my heart to see one of us take a better path."

"W-what?" Weiss asked, too startled to follow his meaning.

"Sheesh. Sorry. Guess you haven't been out here for long," he waved his hands apologetically. "The name's Sun. Fifteen. You?"

"Snow," she replied carefully. "Seventeen."

"Uh, by fifteen, I meant fifteen years I've been on the streets. I'm putting you at a week, at most?"

Weiss dropped her shoulders. Not that much, but close enough. She felt like a child, all of a sudden.

"Don't worry. It gets better with time," Sun smiled. "Want a banana?"

He tossed her a fruit without waiting for an answer. Weiss almost didn't catch it.

"But…" She frowned. "Why? I can't repay you."

"Just looking out for the good ones. I don't need anything in return," Sun got up. "Anyway, I gotta go. If you ever need a place to stay, go to Brittle Alley, yellow house, kind of broken down. There's a chalk drawing of a monkey on the wall, you can't miss it. I've got like, thirty more bananas there."

That's a whole month worth of bananas, Weiss thought. She was once again reminded how weird a turn her life had taken – she was counting days by bananas, now.

Before she could say anything, Sun turned around and ran, just in time for her to see a furry monkey tail poking out of his pants. Weiss blinked several times, as if to make sure she was seeing things properly.

* * *

On the way to Adam's room, Blake took the opportunity to test her new powers. When a couple of faunus came around a corner, she hid at a shadowy space between two torches, and to her delight, found that their eyes passed over her like she wasn't even there. The darkness seemed to embrace her like a warm lover.

She also discovered that she could send out her shadow ahead of her, then join with it where it stood in the blink of an eye. It was disorientating, and she almost threw up the first time she did it, but the usefulness of the ability was undeniable.

The only thing she wished to determine but couldn't, was how strong her shadow was. It was tangible, that much was certain, as it had been able to wield Torchwick's knife and break her free, but aside from that, would it be able to fight as well as herself?

A question for another time – perhaps very soon.

Blake stopped before Adam's door, wondering what to do. She couldn't just enter. No, this wasn't a simple visit. She needed to make sure he understood who she was and what she was about.

She invoked her shadow and bid it to pass through the door, its wavering form compacting beneath it before appearing at the other side. Then, she took a deep breath… and surged to it.

Blake appeared inside the room, just beside Adam, who was sitting behind a desk, writing a letter. He looked up and cursed, and for a moment, she thought he would attack her. Blake smiled humorlessly.

"The stone worked," Adam said, trying to keep an even tone. "Or so it appears."

"It did. As you said, the gift it gave me is indeed very powerful," Blake narrowed her eyes. "Roman Torchwick is dead at the basement you had me held at. He tried to poison me. I didn't let him."

Adam tried to appear surprised, but she saw right through his ruse.

"You knew he would do that, just as you knew he was killing _your_ people during missions," Blake accused, her fists clenched at her sides. "You are a snake, Adam. I knew it from the start, but I let you talk me into this mess regardless."

"And? Ever since the White Fang rescued you from near death, has anything bad happened to you? No. In fact, you've grown stronger," Adam crossed his arms. "But you're angry at me, because you think I'm a liar. I haven't uttered a single lie in your presence. I seek to take this city and make it the faunus'."

"And if that means dealing with witches, watching your kin die, and using me as a test subject…" Blake laughed bitterly. "Well, I guess that's just the price we pay for freedom, right?"

Adam stared at her for a long time, as if to divine what she was thinking. Finally, he stood up and leaned forward, pressing his hands against his desk.

"This city made you, Belladonna. Every part of it. The slaves, the nobles, the Rose girl, and most importantly – _me_ ," he said in a low tone. "I gave you this power. You owe me your obedience."

"No," she stated. "I'm done listening to anyone. Goodbye, Adam."

Her shadow left her body and passed through the door behind her, and then, she was at the hallway once again. She heard the sound of object falling to the ground, then Adam cursing and racing to the door. Without a second thought, Blake turned and ran.

* * *

To Weiss' delight, the banana was not so bad as she had expected. While there were plenty of fruits more to her taste, it did fill her stomach for the first time in days.

She was reluctant to enjoy the gift because of who it had come from, and she knew it. A faunus, helping her out of the goodness of his heart. She wondered if he would have done the same if he had known who she really was – and she wondered even more where he had obtained the accursed banana. Probably stolen from under a merchant's nose…

Weiss pursed her lips and shook her head, disappointed and angry at herself. After so much hardship, she thought she had learned a thing or two about the faunus, but apparently, she was still the same spoiled princess with frilly dresses who had lived her entire life in a castle, except now she didn't have any frilly dresses nor a castle.

She settled against the wall and brought her knees up to her chest, then drew her blanket up to her chin. Her little turf was located on a tight alley between two houses five blocks away from the town square. The sun shed no light there except for a couple of hours at the peak of daytime, so the probability of someone noticing her lithe form resting there was small. Inexperienced in the ways of homelessness she might be, but Weiss knew very well she had to stay hidden from the Guard _and_ everyone else.

During the few days she gathered there, Weiss gathered that a small family of two parents and a boy lived at the house to the right, and to the left, lived a drunk old man. Or perhaps he was mad. Or both. She couldn't quite tell from his intelligible hollering at night.

It wasn't a good home, but it was enough to sleep at. Every day that passed, her standards lowered. She guessed soon enough she'd be content eating rat meat.

Weiss pulled her blanket closer and shut her eyes.

* * *

She awakened rudely with someone pulling on her ankle, her eyes wide with terror. Crude laughter filled her ears. She looked up only and saw two men and a woman standing on the alley with her – the man pulling her had a wide smile on his lips.

"She's up!" He chortled. "Look at that! Never seen someone more wide eyed before!"

"What the _hell_ – don't touch me!" She tried to kick him, but he held her leg in place. "I'm _warning_ you. Back. Off!"

"She's a fighter," the other man noted with a note of amusement in his voice. "All the better for it."

The woman laid a hand on her holder's shoulder and took a step forward. Her face was patronizing, as if she were looking at a small child who had done a very bad deed, yet also cruel. Deadly cruel.

"Now, sweetheart. I know this is a very frightening experience, but you gotta go through it sooner or later. We all gotta," she said. "You see, you stepped into _my_ turf, and I don't recall you asking me for permission to settle down. Fine. Easy mistake. Can see you're not very bright. _But_ … I can't very well let that pass without punishment."

"So what?" Weiss tried to sound brave, but her voice rose and fell beyond her control. "You're going to set your men on me?"

"No. Let's reserve that for future mistakes, dear," the woman smiled. "You're afraid. I'm sure you'll do your best to behave. But that ain't enough, sorry. You gotta earn you keep," her eyes examined Weiss from head to toe several times over. "You do have a certain beauty, dear. Too skinny for me, yeah, but you look like a princess, and people love that."

Weiss' blood ran cold. The woman had no way to know who she was, but the words hit too close to home. And the threat was still there…

"Lucky for you, I know the best houses in town. No need risking your hide on the down low first," the gang leader said. "Who knows, you do good enough job, I might provide you with a real home."

Weiss stared at her in silence, desperately thinking of a way out. She could go along and try to run later, but she doubted that would work. She could choose _not_ to run. She discarded that thought as soon as she had it.

That left her with only one choice. She extended her right arm at the man gripping her, and a burst of cold air hit him, making him crash against a wall. Ice enveloped his torso, immobilizing him.

As his companions cursed in fear and surprise, Weiss stood up and retrieved her rapier from underneath her blanket. Swiftly, she poked at the other man, tearing a hole in his belly. He fell down, screaming in pain.

"No! I-I'm sorry!" The woman begged, her face as pale as the moon. She looked at Weiss as if she were a demon. "Have mercy!"

"Run, and take him," Weiss gestured to the bleeding man. She slammed her rapier's hilt against the other's icy prison, freeing him. "Help her. And never come back."

Weiss watched them go with an emotionless expression on her face, while inside her chest, her heart beat like a speeding train. She knew there had been little chance of them overpowering her, but the whole situation reminded her too much of a night she'd rather forget.

Tears came to her eyes, but she wiped at them with the sleeve of her dress quickly, then looked down at her blanket.

"Can't stay here anymore," she whispered. "Brittle Alley, yellow house… Chalk monkey…"

* * *

The moon lay still in the night sky, casting its glow down into the city, lighting Ruby's way as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, her silver eyes scouring the darkness for what she sought.

She had checked her house first, but it was just like she'd left it – except for a new layer of dust and dirt. Yang's cage hadn't been closed for a while, and she felt the strange need to close it. The act reminded her of their sisterly bond.

She wasn't too upset at finding the house empty. Raven had told her Yang had left the city. But Ruby had held a little bit of hope that, maybe, Blake would be there. She wasn't.

After that, she gone to the town square the following day, to hear some news. She took delight in the way looked at her red cloak and scythe, obviously linking her to the Regent. The thought of Cinder finding out she was parading around her town indiscreetly made her giddy.

She learned Weiss had been kidnapped by foreign rebels, or so the vendors and guards said. She didn't believe it for a bit. It was all too convenient for Cinder, who now had no opposition in the Castle. No, Weiss' disappearance had been orchestrated by Cinder, she was sure.

No news of Blake, but people were talking about Lord Port's estate being raided by the White Fang. He'd been killed during the attack. Ruby was a little sad at the news – Port had always been nice to her, giving her cookies directly from the Royal kitchen.

The next few days, Ruby wandered the streets, hoping to come across Weiss or Blake. Her newly-acquired agility helped her immensely in the search, allowing her to scour every fraction of the city quickly, but with utmost attention.

Three days later, and still no sign of either of them. Ruby thought about resting in her house for the night, but she wasn't arrogant enough to think that would be safe. Cinder knew where she lived, and she had the deadliest assassins in Vale under her command.

She dropped down on the street, her feet barely feeling the impact of the fall. It had taken a while to get used to… whatever had happened with her. She felt strange… too light… like her body was there, but not really there…? Regarding that, she had adopted the same line of thinking from the dream world: better not to think about it.

 _The Moon Drinker_ was right before her, as she had calculated. Yang used to come to the tavern often at night, when the Moon wasn't calling out to her. She had always said if someone needed information, that was the place to get it.

Thanking her sister silently, Ruby entered the tavern. The clientele turned to looked at the newcomer, and for a few seconds, silence reigned in the establishment as they took in her appearance. She smiled nervously and made her way to a table as conversations restarted, most of them probably consisting of speculations about her.

Ruby looked around the tavern restlessly, tapping her fingers against the table. A waitress approached her, and she asked for a glass of water. The woman raised an eyebrow at that, but brought her what she wanted anyway.

She was trying to remember what to do now. Yang had mentioned this kind of thing many times before. How to get information… Something about coins, a charming smile, and… a low cut… shirt…

Suddenly, Ruby had the wish to drop to the floor and disappear beneath her table.

"R-Ruby?"

She looked up, only to meet eyes with someone she had never expected to see in a tavern: Jaune. Ruby squealed and jumped, wrapping her arms around his neck. They almost tumbled to the ground, but Jaune managed to sit down on a chair before that happened.

"Jaune!" She covered her mouth, realizing she was screaming much too loudly for where they were. She spoke again, in a more controlled manner. "Jaune! I didn't think I'd see you here."

"I-I can… say the same?" Jaune looked at her as if she were a ghost. "You're supposed to be in the castle, unconscious… pretty much dead."

"Oh, yeah. I suppose that's confusing," Ruby rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I'm not dead. I never was. I was cursed to sleep forever – well, technically I was banished to a dream world where I was supposed to become a being unaware of my own existence – but that's the general idea."

"Ah. I knew that. I mean, not about the dream world stuff," he frowned. "What was that again?"

Ruby took a deep breath, then went on to tell him a shortened version of her life since she was cursed. She expected Jaune to interrupt her sometime, probably between the part about visiting her parent's memories and the one about the Regent actually being an evil witch that could possess other people's bodies. To his credit, he only nodded along and gasped occasionally.

"Alright. So," he said when she finally finished. "Basically. Cinder Fall, evil witch from a powerful bloodline, is on the throne; your sister Yang is not your sister; and you're sort of a ghost now?"

"No!" Ruby exclaimed, horrified at his suggestion. "I'm just… odd."

"Well, you always were odd, Ruby," Jaune smiled slightly. "Anyway. I have my own story to tell," his smile faded, and his eyes flew from hers swiftly. "I overheard while your Summ- Cinder cursed you. I talked to Pyrrha about it, and we tried to convince Queen Weiss that she had to do something about her General, or run. She didn't listen at first, so we enlisted your friend Blake's help and she-"

"Blake?!" Ruby interrupted, leaning closer to him. "Where is she? Is she alright?"

"I don't know. She confronted the queen, but something must have happened between them. Turns out… Uh, Ruby… Blake was faunus."

Ruby just blinked at him and cocked her head.

"Oh, you already knew," Jaune cleared his throat. "They had a fight, and in the middle of it, Blake ran. Cinder went after her. I haven't seen her since. Sorry."

Ruby sunk in her seat, staring desolately at the table. Jaune patted her back helpfully, and she snugged close to him, until her head rested on his shoulder.

"I'll find her. One way or another," she whispered. "Go on."

"A week passed. At night, the Queen went to Pyrrha's room and said she knew we were right. Something happened that made her sign a document naming Cinder her Regent in case of emergency. I was there. Pyrrha and I… we were, uh… together…"

For a moment, Ruby's gloominess took a step back as she squirmed excitedly next to him.

"We decided to get her out of the castle that night. We… managed to… but Pyrrha didn't make it," Jaune said roughly. "Cinder killed her and painted her as a kidnapper."

Ruby's mouth parted, and her eyes shone with tears. Jaune smiled humorlessly, wondering how his friend how grieve someone she had hardly even knew.

"I'm… v-very sorry, Jaune."

"Thanks. I'm dealing," he swallowed dry before continuing. "The Queen stayed at my house for a week or so. Then, a few nights ago, she told my mother she was leaving. She didn't want to put my family at risk," he sighed. "I feel worthless. She could be lying dead on an alley right now, all because I told her to give up."

"So Weiss _is_ in town?" Ruby stood up. "Alright. That's good. I can find her; I know I can. I… I just need to work harder!"

"I can help," Jaune said. "Ask around a little, get some people to look around for someone like her."

"No, that would make you an easy target for Cinder," Ruby shook her head. "I'm safe. She won't dare come near me, not for a while. I scared her good after I woke up."

Jaune stared at her, wondering what someone like Ruby could do to put the fear in someone like Cinder, of all people.

"There's one place I haven't visited yet, an old friend. He's got a lot of allies around the city – mostly faunus," Ruby said. "I'm going there right now."

She hugged him tightly, then waved and walked away.

"Be safe, Jaune!"

* * *

Blake looked up at the house with yellow bricks, trying to determine if she was at the right place. Yang had brought her there but a couple of months ago, yet it felt like an eternity.

Then, she spotted the monkey drawn on the front wall and smiled. If that wasn't the right house, she would give up and find some hole to sleep. Remembering what Yang had done before, she picked up a rock and threw it in an arc, so as to make it hit the roof with a resounding noise.

A minute later, Sun opened the front door and looked at her.

"Oh, hey… Blake!" He said, with a pause that indicated he had to search for her name in his head. "Long time since I last saw you… and Yang, for that matter."

"You haven't seen Yang?" Blake frowned. "Damnit. I thought you could give me a clue where to look."

"Sorry," Sun shrugged. "Come in?"

Blake hesitated, having planned to only ask him about Yang, not stay the night. But she was tired, and the streets were not safe at night. She nodded and went inside. Sun closed the door behind her and pointed to a vacant chair with stuffing that was almost completely destroyed.

"You look like you've been through hell," Sun said, taking a closer look at her face. He turned and put his hands on his hips. "Well, my banana supply is plummeting faster than planned. Three mouths to feed tonight."

"Three mouths?" Blake repeated curiously.

"Yeah. There's this girl I met earlier today, seems like she's barely a week into this crappy life. I offered her shelter for a while. Calls herself Snow – which is a horrible fake name, in my opinion." Sun chuckled.

"Some people would say Sun is a bad fake name too." Blake smiled slightly at his startled expression.

"Well, then. Someone's grown snarky," he huffed. "I'm going out to grab some more food from a friend. Guy owes me at least seven bananas and _two_ apples. Some people just don't know to pay up, can you believe it?"

Blake hummed amusedly as he went out the door. She sunk into her chair, trying to make herself more comfortable, but she felt restless. He eyes followed the wavering of the lone torch Sun had illuminating the front room.

Her ears perked up as she heard someone walking on the only other adjacent room, followed by the clattering of steel and tearing of fabric. A loud hiss filled the air, then a sigh. Blake tried to put it out of her mind, but something about those last noises woke something inside her.

A few seconds later, Snow stepped into the room, shaking her head slightly. White hair flowed gracefully behind her. Bandage was wrapped around a pale arm, concealing a wound of some sort. A rapier hung on her waist, attached to a worn-out dress.

Blake rose, and their eyes met.

"Schnee."

"Belladonna."

Weiss stepped back, drawing her rapier and wielding it in front of her. The temperature dropped considerably, sending chills down Blake's spine. The air seemed to crystalize near Weiss.

"What are you doing here?!" Blake asked in disbelief.

"…I thought you were dead," Weiss muttered, her voice betraying the feelings she tried to show with her sword. "I thought-"

"Answer my question!" The faunus interrupted.

"I'm here for refuge, what do you think?!" Weiss barked, her cheeks tinging with rage. "The same reason you are here, right?! Would you –Throw that blade away, Belladonna!"

Blake looked down and only then noticed she was gripping Roman's knife in her right hand. Her arm shook, and she stared firmly at Weiss, refusing to obey.

"You can't order me around anymore, _Your_ _Highness_ ," she said. "You have no hold over me. No one has. I could cut you down this instant, and you wouldn't be able to do a thing to stop me."

"Really?" Weiss' posture stiffened. "Care to try?"

Blake tossed her knife, and Weiss swung her rapier just in time to deflect it. The faunus' shadow surged forward, crossing the space between them, and suddenly, they were both on the ground, with Blake holding down both of the royal's arms.

"What the – What are you?!" Weiss exclaimed fearfully.

"I'm just like you now. No, I'm better," Blake smiled. "How does it fell, having someone more powerful-"

Weiss opened her mouth, and a wave of cold air hit Blake right in the face, making her yell and jump away, blinded. She felt something hit the side of her head, and she fell to the ground.

Blake spun, kicking at what she guessed were Weiss' legs, knocking her down too. She opened her eyes, fighting off the frigid pain, and straddled the exiled queen. Her hands found Weiss' throat and started to press. Blue eyes bore into hers with hatred and fear.

And suddenly, she was pulled back and to her feet by another pair of hands. Blake spun around and swung at once, slapping the intruder with the back of her hand. She closed her eyes again and bent down, still feeling the repercussions of Weiss' attack.

"…Ruby?" Weiss voice echoed through the house, clear as day. "Ruby!"

Blake opened her eyes and saw the white haired girl embracing Ruby. She almost fell to her knees.

"Ruby?" Blake muttered, somewhere between confusion and joy. It was too good to be true.

"Princess – my Queen – Your Majesty – Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed, jumping from one title to another until she found the most appropriate one. "I-I'm happy to see you, but could you let me go for a moment?"

Weiss released her, then immediately moved to stand behind her, as if to seek protection from Blake. The faunus just stared, not knowing what to say.

"H-Hi, Blake," Ruby said mutely, then looked from her to Weiss and back. " _Why_ are you two fighting?"

"She drew her knife on me. I had barely stepped a foot inside the room." Weiss answered bitterly.

"I- I didn't." Blake shook her head.

"Yes, you _did_!" Weiss refuted immediately, and there was so much emotion in her voice Blake had to admit it was true, even though she didn't remember it.

Ruby frowned.

"Why did you draw on Weiss, Blake?" She asked patiently.

"I… hate her." Blake replied hesitantly.

"No, you don't! You're friends!"

"No, we aren't!" Weiss and Blake shouted at the same time.

"Uh… Wow. You guys sure had a falling out, huh?" Ruby lowered her head nervously. "Stay asleep for a month, and everything changes. Have cows learned to fly yet?"

She chuckled a few times, feeling both of her friends' stares fixed intently on her.

"Alright," Ruby sighed. "I guess I'll have to explain this whole thing. _Again_."

At that moment, the door swung open, and Sun stepped inside, carrying two boxes of fruit with him.

"Turns the guy actually owed me this much food! He just blurted it out of nowhere, the little rascal. Felt a bit bad, but he had it coming, and-" He looked at Ruby and blinked. "Oh, come on! I'll have starved by winter's end at this rate."

* * *

Yang sat on the porch of Nora and Ren's house, leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around her knees. Fire burned in her eyes, which were fixed on the howling storm but a few steps in front of her.

The door opened, and Ren poked his head outside.

"Yang?" He called. "Dinner's ready. I made pasta."

"Hmm. I'm not hungry." She said distractedly.

"Are you sure?" He frowned. "You spend a lot of energy when you go out there. It's essential that you eat frequently."

"I know, but I'm not hungry. I'm not eating."

Ren opened and closed his mouth, as if he wanted to argue, but couldn't. Finally, he sighed and gestured helplessly with a hand.

"The Moon is getting higher every day," he noted. "When will _it_ start?"

"Tomorrow," Yang said. "As soon as night falls, I'll go, and won't return for another week."

"A full week in the blizzard? That sounds _really_ unwise."

Yang just turned her head to stare at him. A few moments later, he retreated and closed the door.

The blonde continued sitting for some more time, then rose to her feet and clenched her fists, igniting two flames in them.

"Actually," she muttered. "Let's get a head start."

Yang stepped off the porch and disappeared into the whiteness.

* * *

Ruby, Weiss and Blake shared their stories over a basket of fruits, while Sun sat in a corner, listening curiously, but not giving any input of his own.

It took a whole hour, but by the end of it, they were all caught up. Pieces started to join between their tales, forming a fuller, more accurate picture of what was happening in Vale.

When they were done recounting these events, Weiss became unusually quiet. Thoughts raced through her head, of who her real enemy was, of the nature of the White Fang, of magic and power. It all seemed so big, but in the end, it all came down to one thing.

The throne, and who had the right to sit on it.

Ruby and Blake were far more interested in the smaller scope of things – how each of them had changed so much over the course of a month.

Blake was afraid of looking at Ruby for too long – no, not afraid. That didn't cover everything. She was ashamed of herself and who she had become. A killer, twisted by a dark power which she had taken of her own volition.

She wondered if that was how Ruby saw her now. She could tell the redhead's view of her had definitely changed, but how was another story. When they talked for too long, or when their hands brushed when they reached for food, Blake heard Ruby's heart beat louder and faster.

Ruby had changed, but Blake knew it was for the better. The redhead looked and sounded stronger and wiser now – the scythe on her back only augmented that belief. But underneath it all was the sweet girl who had taken Blake for no reason other than it was the right thing to do.

"Ruby," Weiss spoke suddenly. "I'm happy you are back. I can't express how much. I wish you could truly rest for now, but…" She shook her head and smiled bitterly. "I thought my fight was over, that I had no allies left. But you are here now… Together, I know we can defeat Cinder and take back Vale."

Ruby took a big bite of an apple, then nodded vigorously.

"Yeah! We definitely can!" Her silver eyes wandered to Blake.

Blake gulped. Her eyes met with Weiss for a moment before the white-haired girl looked away.

"If Weiss will allow me…" She muttered.

"Yes. You may fight at my side," Weiss said firmly. "But I don't trust you. Ruby, you will keep an eye on her."

"Yes, ma'am! Blake, I am keeping an eye on you!" Ruby exclaimed gleefully, then leaned closer to Blake, until their noses were almost touching. After a moment, her cheeks reddened, and she backed away. "I m-mean, because Weiss ordered it. I trust you."

Blake smiled with mild amusement, then took an apple for herself.

"So, I just heard a lot of talk of hocus-pocus, faunus rebellion, and dreaming ghosts," Sun spoke slowly. "You're not going to hang me or something for knowing all that, right? Because it would be really rude, considering I just fed you half you my stash."

"You may help too, if you wish." Weiss granted casually.

"What? I didn't ask for- Ah, forget it," he groaned. "Fighting an evil witch does sounds fun. Also, it's not like I've got anything else to do."

"We need more people. Someone inside the Castle; people to stand by our side… Weapons and armor… Some way to protect us from Cinder's magic…" Weiss pinched her forehead. "Blood and bones, this will be harder than I thought."

Ruby sat up straighter.

"About weapons and armor… I _might_ have something to help with that…"

* * *

"You've got to be joking," Weiss said breathlessly. "There's a secret armory right beneath the northwest watchtower?"

Ruby laughed shortly as they Weiss, Blake and her entered the tower at the dead of night. The redhead looked around, straining her eyes to see in the darkness.

"Ah, this is useless," Ruby groaned. "Blake, do you see a vase with a bird feather engraved on its side?"

The faunus gave the place a look-over, then walked to a shelf where the mentioned object lay.

"This?"

"Must be! Spin it halfway right, then all the way left!"

Blake did as she asked, while Weiss' eyebrows rose slowly. Not that she didn't trust Ruby, but… dreams and memories from dead parents weren't the trustiest of resources in the world.

A soft rumbling sounded beneath them, and then a part of the floor slid sideways into a wall, revealing a spiral stairway that went deep underground.

"See?" Ruby giggled. "Told you it was here."

"Remind me never to doubt you again," Weiss gestured. "Belladonna, you should go first and warn us of any dangerous steps. Who knows what the years have done to this place."

"Only if you say _please_."

Weiss' body tensed with anger. She prepared to unleash a verbal assault on the faunus, but then Ruby laughed softly, followed by Blake, who was already walking down the steps. The exiled queen cleared her throat and followed, glad that Ruby couldn't see how red her cheeks were in the dark.

"What did your parents use this place for, anyway?" Blake asked curiously. "It seems – watch your step, the steps are getting smaller – it seems a dangerous location for a secret hideout."

"To them, that was a positive point! What better place for a secret hideout than under the noses of their fiercest enemies?!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly.

"Fiercest enemies?" Weiss shook her head. "As I recall, my parents were rather accepting of yours, compared to every other ruler in the land."

"One time, your mother threatened to stick a lance through my father's belly and roast him like a pig," Ruby said cheerfully. "Of course, she didn't go through it, mostly because mom scurried him away before things got more heated."

"Sweet Moon, what did your father do to deserve such rage?" Blake wondered.

"Eh, I think it was something related to an exploding jelly pie. Dad was a bit of a prankster."

Weiss wondered if Ruby would not stop reciting tales about her parents now that she had witnessed them with her own eyes. She considered telling the girl to stop talking, but she bit her tongue… Ruby sounded genuinely happy. Berating her would be cruel and achieve nothing.

A few minutes later, they reached even floor. The light of a torch came from around the corner of a doorway. The three stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. Why was there light in a secret hideout nobody alive except for Ruby should know about?

The redhead gestured silently to her companions before taking her scythe in her hands. With soft steps, she approached the doorway… and leaped through it, prepared to cut heads off.

She hadn't expected to find Ozpin sitting behind a round table, reading a dusty tome, a pistol laying at his side. His eyes rose above the pages, betraying not surprise, but delight.

"Hello, Ruby," he said. "I was hoping you would show up eventually."

* * *

 **Guess who's back, back again; Ozpin's back, don't tell a friend because they'll think it's canon and be very confused.  
**

 **I wanted to make a bonus scene parodying the trailer of Batman VS Superman... Blake VS Weiss. It included Cinder as Lex Luthor and Zwei as Doomsday (and possibly WonderRuby!). I didn't want to delay posting this any longer, though, so I'll leave that to another time.**

 **You know, every time I finish a chapter, I think... Next time, there'll be more Yang. I just feel bad for her now. Her time is coming. All logic dictates she has more space next chapter - but who even knows anymore. I certainly don't. The story has a will of its own by this point.**

 **(also Ruby's not dead pls she's just super weird don't think she's dead pls super speed/agility is a cool super power/magic thingy)**

 **-Zeroan**


	19. Hiding

"What?" Weiss' voice was like a whip in the silence of the underground lair. " _How_?"

Ozpin put his book down on the table before him, then stood from his chair. He nodded slightly to Blake as she too entered the room. She didn't say anything, but the frown on her forehead was enough to show her confusion at his presence.

"I understand your surprise. I will answer all questions you might have, but first," he set his eyes on Weiss. "You don't want to murder me anymore, I assume?"

Weiss stayed frozen where she stood, eyes wavering with countless emotions as she looked at the disgraced general. Indeed, the last time they had been in the same room, Ozpin had been framed for the death of her sister, and Weiss had declared his immediate execution.

How fast things had gone downhill from there – but that mistake stung most out of all. Ozpin's banishment, Ruby's sleeping curse, Cinder's growing power… All results of that fateful moment.

Could she ever redeem herself after everything that had happened?

Ruby recovered fast from the surprise of seeing her mentor, alive and well. She turned her head to look at Weiss, worry evident in her eyes, and slowly raised a hand to touch her on the shoulder… But before she could, Weiss rushed forwards and embraced Ozpin, burying her head in his chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

Ozpin patted her on the head, his lips parting to reveal a small, but nonetheless warm smile. Ruby turned her eyes away, not wishing for anyone to see her tears. Blake crossed her arms and waited respectfully.

A few minutes later, Weiss took a step back and wiped her eyes with her sleeves.

"Well," she cleared her throat. "How – what happened to you, General? Sum- _She_ has many spies in the city, yet we heard not a whisper of you after your escape."

"I'm sure she heard of me, but chose not to share with anyone. Even so, there was little to be reported, and nothing after I vanished," Ozpin said. He gestured to the room around them. "There is no record of this place anywhere in Vale. No blueprints, no maps. The perfect hideout."

"Yeah, my parents came here often," Ruby spoke. "How did you know about this, though?"

Ozpin looked at her as if she was an interesting puzzle waiting to be solved.

"Why, Miss Rose, it was I who showed them this place," he explained. "You see, in my youth I was a bit of a rebel too. Not to the extends of your parents or the Branwen siblings, of course. I believed – and still believe – change can be achieved by working with the system," he nodded. "And that's why I strived to rise through the ranks of the Guard, until I was High General and direct counselor to the throne."

"Fascinating," Blake said. "But that doesn't explain how you know about this place. You just said there exists no record of it."

"I wasn't lying," Ozpin looked at his feet and rubbed his noise, as if he was reluctant to continue. "As I said, I was a bit of a rebel. As a child, I used to… run around, playing pranks on the Guard's soldiers. Climbed atop many roofs and threw many stones at them."

Weiss blinked several times. Ozpin might as well have said he used to ride flying horses, and she would have been just as flabbergasted.

"One day, I was sabotaging this watchtower. I bought a liter of liquid clue from a merchant, and two boxes of sparkling dust from another, then went on to –" Ozpin waved dismissively. "Anyway. I accidentally discovered this passage that day. I climbed down the stairs, mind running wild with the possibilities opening up before my eyes… Then I came across the armory, and ran off, scared at the sight of so much firepower."

"That's… quite the tale," Blake frowned. "And you never told anyone about it?"

"Why would I?" He chuckled. "High General or street rat, there are some things that I can't change about myself. One of these is that I like to always have a contingency plan in case of emergencies."

The faunus still looked skeptical, but she figured Ozpin had little reason to lie, so she didn't ask for more. Weiss accept his words without questioning, as did Ruby.

"I've hiding here for the past month, occasionally sneaking out to hear of what's happened in the Castle," he said. "I know Summer Rose – of whoever she truly is – now rules as Regent. My plan was to wait until it was safer, then find the Queen and prepare for a fight. Fortunately, I didn't have to do that. You came to me, and with powerful allies to boot."

"I see. There's… a lot we have to tell you," Weiss sat down on a chair and rested her hands on her knees. She looked up at Ruby. "Do you want to start?"

* * *

Yang growled as she drudged through the snow, farther and farther away from the cabin, until she couldn't make it out in the distance. Heat radiated from her body in constant waves, fighting off the cold like a living, conscious force.

Perhaps she was being foolish, going out so early. One more day, and she would have the full power of the Moon to help her. She could still feel it now, but only as a pricking sensation on the back of her neck.

She could die because of her impatience.

But if she didn't try, if she didn't test her limits, then she might as well be dead anyway. The point of her going out was to strengthen herself, to find out just how much power she could muster, so that she could go back to Vale and tear it down to pieces.

That's what she deserved. That's what _Ruby_ deserved. If she wasn't strong enough to do that…

Well. The cold take her.

* * *

Ozpin was silent for a moment as Blake finished her story. Gears turned inside his head as he collected everything he had just heard and reimagined it as one concise timeline of events.

"Fall," he said. "Fall… Yes, I've heard that name before. It was an ancient noble house, if I'm not mistaken. One of the oldest in Vale's history."

"If that is so, wouldn't I have heard of it?" Weiss asked. "Winter insisted that I take every lesson there was to be taken, and that included the history of the bloodlines of Vale."

"There is little information of the Falls, so little that they might as well never have existed," Ozpin explained. "The most I can tell you is that they were one of the founders of Vale. Their role at the time eludes me. But if what Cinder Fall told Summer in her last moments is true…"

"The Falls were disgraced, somehow. This is about honor," Blake stated, a drop of bitterness in her voice. "Not surprising. It always is with noble houses."

Weiss shifted in her seat, but otherwise had no other visible reaction.

"Cinder was rather interested in my magic," she said with a small voice. "I thought, at first, that she wanted to measure how dangerous I could be to her plans. But perhaps there's something more."

"Perhaps she wants to disgrace the Schnee's house as it disgraced hers." Blake commented.

" _My_ house did not disgrace anyone." Weiss refuted firmly.

Blake crossed her arms and stared at Weiss. Her cat ears rose up straight above her hair. Weiss looked away hastily.

"Sorry."

"I'm afraid we won't accomplish anything more tonight. I can see you're tired. A good night of sleep will help with that," Ozpin said. "There are four rooms back there, not counting the library and the armory. I've taken one already. Feel free to do the same."

"I'll visit the library first, I think," Blake noted. "Good night, Ruby, Ozpin… Weiss."

She walked into a hallway, amber eyes examining everything around her with a mixture of curiosity and guardedness. Weiss followed briefly after.

Ruby stayed in the entrance hall, looking like a small child in her red cloak as she avoided eye contact with Ozpin. The ex-general smiled lightly and stepped closer to her, then laid his hands on her shoulders.

"Ruby," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't come to your rescue. Every day I passed in this hideout, I hated myself more, knowing that I let you sacrifice yourself for me. I told myself I needed to wait until it was safe, so I could support Weiss – but the right thing to do was rescue you."

Her eyes welled with tears as she finally looked up at him.

"You, Weiss, even Blake, I suspect, see me as a flawless General," he said. "The truth is, I've made more mistakes than every man, woman, and child in Vale. Training you was not one of them. I'm proud of you… and I believe your parents would be too."

"S-sir!" Ruby exclaimed. "Thank you!"

Ozpin almost fell to the floor as Ruby jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He stumbled back, then held her close to keep his balance.

They stayed that way for a long time, until Ruby let go and bowed respectfully, then walked away to find a room for herself. Ozpin watched her go with a smile on his lips.

* * *

"Lady Rose?"

Glynda knocked on the Regent's door, keeping a dutiful distance from it. It was deep into the night, and her lack of energy showed in her usually perfect posture, but she couldn't hold off doing this. Summer needed it, apparently, and Glynda… she wanted to test the once-rebel's reaction.

She knocked two more times, with no response.

"Rose?" She called again, growing fearful. After a poisoned queen and another kidnapped, the last thing they needed was a regent assassinated in her sleep. "If you don't answer, I'll be forced to-"

" _What_?"

Summer opened the door suddenly, almost causing Glynda to fall forward. She stared her visitor up and down, and for a moment, Glynda swore her eyes shifted colors.

"I have an urgent message for you," Glynda said, showing a letter on her right hand. "A body was thrown in front of the Castle gates during the shifting of the guards. It was identified as belonging to Roman Torchwick, supposedly the most dangerous crime lord in Vale. This letter was found on his pocket. It's meant for you."

"For me?" Summer took the letter and read it quickly. "Did _you_ read it?"

"Yes. That's how I know it was meant for you," Glynda nodded. "The White Fang killed him and delivered him to us. Why?"

Summer crushed the letter in her hands, then raised her head to stare at her.

"How should I know? The White Fang has been antagonizing us for years. Aside from his being a human, they had little reason to murder Roman. Who knows, perhaps it was a sign of good faith and they'll stop pestering us."

Glynda kept her expression free of emotion. She knew Summer was lying, but why was beyond her understanding. Could she somehow be involved with the White Fang?

"Thank you, Lady Goodwitch, for bringing this to my attention. Now, I ask that you leave," Summer said curtly. "I'm afraid I have a fever."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Glynda replied politely. "I could order that tea be brought to your room."

"That won't be necessary. I don't believe tea can relieve the pain of someone's daughter being poisoned and kidnapped," the Regent cocked her head pointedly. "Good night."

The door slammed shut, and Glynda took a step back, caught off-guard by Summer's words. She shook her head and walked away, wondering how long it would take for the Castle to descend into chaos, and if she could do anything to stop it.

* * *

 _Summer huffed as she finally managed to climb on top of Vale's outer wall. The climb had been treacherous, and many times she had almost lost her grip and fallen, but she made it._

 _Now, to get down… Summer swung her legs over the edge and looked down. The wall was high enough that if she jumped, she would probably break every bone in her body and die a horrible death. But if she was careful…_

 _She retrieved her scythe from behind her back and took a deep breath, then slipped gracefully off the edge. Swiftly she turned and thrust with her weapon, its blade grinding against the wall and slowing down her descent. The sound hurt her ears, and suddenly she was aware of a glaring flaw in her plan: everyone in a large radius would be rudely awakened from their sleep, and every patrolling guard nearby would come to check on the noise._

 _As soon as her feet connected with the ground, Summer gritted her teeth and broke into a sprint. Drawing her cloak around herself, she dived into a dark alley between two houses, seeking to disappear in the shadows._

 _Not ten seconds passed before someone cleared their throat above her. Summer gulped and looked up, meeting eyes with a gray-haired young man, dressed in Guard uniform and carrying a lance and pistol._

 _"Hello," she said meekly. "How are you doing?"_

 _"I'm… well. Thank you for asking," he blinked, seemingly surprised by her question. "And you are…?"_

 _"Me? I am the Red Reaper, Terror of the Bluebloods, Freer of Slaves, the Noblemen's Reckoning!" She exclaimed proudly, beating a hand against her chest._

 _Summer waited for a reaction, but he only stared at her in puzzlement._

 _"You… haven't heard of me?" She asked._

 _"No? I've never heard of any Red Reaper."_

 _"The Wall?"_

 _"No."_

 _"The Shadow? The Flame?"_

 _"No," he crossed his arms. "I'm Captain Ozpin of the Vale Guard. You aren't a thief or a bandit, are you?"_

 _"No!" Summer shook her head in bewilderment. "I'm a rebel! Like I said, I, uh, fight nobles and free slaves."_

 _Ozpin kept staring at her. Summer prepared herself to run, expecting him to try to imprison her, or worse… But instead, he shrugged and pointed to the street._

 _"If you intend to kill someone today, get away from this city. I'm always on watch, and I won't allow you to cause havoc here," he said. "If that's not your intent, you're free to go wherever you wish. Just try not to wake people up, alright?"_

 _"Y-yes," Summer stood up, confused and relieved at the same time. "Thank you…?"_

 _"And if you ever need any help," Ozpin smiled. "You know my name."_

 _He walked away, and Summer stayed in that alley for a long time, wondering who the hell she had just met._

* * *

"Ruby? Are you alright?"

Ruby woke up beneath a layer of blankets, her forehead drenched with cold sweat. A candle burned a small light beside her bed, and kneeling there with a worried expression on her face was Blake.

"You look terrible," the faunus whispered. "Are you sick?"

"What? No!" Ruby sat up. "I just – had a weird dream. W-why are you in my room?"

"I passed by your door while I was returning from the library and heard you mumbling and shifting around in your bed," Blake explained. "Was it a nightmare?"

"No. I just- Wait."

Ruby jumped from her bed and stood in the middle of her room, looking around frantically. Blake watched her with increasing worry.

"Oh, no. No no no! I just dreamed a memory from my mother. I shouldn't be able to do, because I'm awake – in the real world," Ruby's eyes widened. "Unless I'm not in the real world. Maybe I've never been. Maybe I'm stuck somewhere in the dream world, or elsewhere, in-between realities, and- and…"

"Ruby. I only followed half of what you just said," Blake said slowly. "But I _promise_ you this is real. I'm real, you're real, Ozpin and Weiss are real. Just… calm down, please."

"A-alright. If you say so," Ruby sat down on the floor and leaned against the side of her bed. "Sheesh. I must have scared you, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Blake nodded. "A lot."

Ruby looked at her palms, wondering about the repercussions of what she had just discovered. If she could still visit memories of her family, then that meant… there was still a connection between herself and the dream world. Maybe she had left a piece of her back there with Raven. That would also explain why she could move so much faster now.

Blake sat beside her, still holding the candle in her hands. Ruby immediately forgot all about her dream as heat rose through her body, making her skin itch and cheeks redden. Panic overwhelmed her as she realized Blake would be able to see that, even without the aid of the candle.

"It must be nice," Blake muttered. "Seeing glimpses of your parents' lives."

"Y-yeah," Ruby stuttered. "S-sometimes."

"I don't know if I would want that, though. I never knew my parents, and… I don't think that's a bad thing, necessarily," the faunus said. "They probably had it as hard as me. Maybe they were slaves too."

"M-maybe."

A moment of silence passed, then Blake edged away from her.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You must hate me now. I'll leave."

"W-what?!" Ruby almost shouted. "No. I don't hate you! At all!"

"You do. You're acting distant, and I know why," Blake pursed her lips. "I deserve it, too. I killed people – a lot of people. I made a deal with bloodthirsty criminals. _Fuck_. You found me trying to stab the Queen to death."

Ruby shook her head slowly.

"You did what you had to do. What you thought was right," she muttered. "It's not as if you enjoyed any of it. And, to be fair, Weiss was also trying to kill you."

"Ruby, you see far too much good in people," Blake sighed. "Do you really believe I didn't enjoy killing?"

"Alright. Maybe I _am_ naïve, but not when it comes to you," Ruby said firmly. "I know you're a good person. The only reason you're saying those things is because you feel guilty."

Blake remained silent for a long time after, her eyes trained on the candle in her hands. Ruby waited patiently, hoping that her words had had some effect on her friend.

"Ruby," Blake spoke again, and this time there was a levity to her tone. "Whenever we talk, I always end up feeling just like when we first met. You know, just like a scared slave girl who managed to run away somehow. It's… something about you."

"I, uh," Ruby gulped. "I-I don't know."

"It might sound weird coming from me, of all people, but you make me feel safe," Blake said. "I'm… glad we met."

Blake stood up and blew out the candle. Ruby wasn't sure, but maybe she had done so to hide a blush.

"Come talk to me if you can't sleep," Blake said. "Good night, Ruby."

* * *

Weiss woke late the next day, if the clock on the wall of her room was to be trusted. Fortunately, she had nothing urgent to do. She perused through her wardrobe and found three worn-out dresses and a pair of boots. Not the most glamorous of outfits, but it certainly beat her current one.

She brought her rapier with her as she headed for the entrance hall, where she found her companions sitting around the table. Ozpin was cleaning a box full of pistols, while Blake read a book and Ruby poked away at a burnt sandwich.

"Did you sleep badly, Ruby?" Weiss asked curiously, taking note of the dark circles surrounding the redhead's eyes.

"Huh?" Ruby blinked. "Yeah. Just, uh – discovered I can still visit my parents' memories when I sleep. It scared me a little, and that's why I didn't sleep. No other reason."

"Alright. If you say so." Weiss said, intrigued by how fast Ruby had spoken.

Her eyes wandered to the title of Blake's book, but the faunus quickly hid it from view. Weiss raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't make a fuss about it.

"So, now that we are all here," Ozpin said. "I believe it's time we begin planning. To take back the Castle and the throne, we'll need some things. Weapons, which we have right here; and people, which we have few of."

"Jaune will help," Ruby said. "I'm sure he will."

"Sun already promised to help too," Blake noted. "He has a lot of friends – or allies, at least. That's valuable, correct?"

Ozpin nodded.

"We need someone on the inside. Someone who can feed us information on Cinder Fall and her plans," he said. "I thought Lady Goodwitch could be that person. She might not like me very much, but she is loyal to the throne. If she knew who the Regent really was… But I'm sure Fall has an eye on her, always. It won't be safe to approach her."

"What about prince Neptune?" Weiss suggested. "He's rather… inconspicuous. I doubt Cinder would ever suspect him of anything."

"Yes. He might be our best shot." Ozpin agreed.

Ruby looked around the table, tapping her fingers nervously against it. Her sandwich lay forgotten on its plate, becoming colder by the minute.

"What… what about Yang?" She asked meekly. "She needs to know I'm alive – awake, I mean. And with her power, maybe she could defeat Cinder."

"I looked for her, Ruby," Ozpin said, pity evident in his voice. "I did, but she was nowhere to be found."

"Well, yes, you only looked in town!" Ruby exclaimed. "I know where she is. Yang left to live with some friends of ours – Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren."

"Wait, _that_ Nora Valkyrie? The deranged inventor? You are _friends_ with her?" Weiss shook her head in wonder. "Doesn't she live miles away from the city, in a cabin probably drowned in snow by now?"

"Actually, she invented some stuff that made the house really warm. I think she has a daughter now, too," Ruby blinked. "Anyway. If only we had some way to get there…"

They shared a moment of silence as Ruby stared at the table, biting her lip thoughtfully, while Blake and Ozpin shared a knowing look. Weiss crossed her arms, pondering, then nodded.

"I could go there. My magic might be powerful enough to allow me to navigate through the blizzard," she said. "I have no clue where that cabin is, though."

"I-I could go with you!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly. "I know the way! Even with all the snow, the landmarks should still be recognizable. And it's not _that_ far away. Just a few days walk."

"It sounds dangerous," Blake noted. "Weiss has her magic, but you? The cold might be your end."

"Blake. Yang is my sister," the redhead said with resolve. "I need to see her."

Blake looked away, as if she wanted to say more, but knew it was useless to do so.

"I agree that we need Yang," Ozpin said. "You two should depart as soon as possible. You can go through the breached east wall. Fall might have people watching it, but she won't have time to stop you from leaving."

"…Should I go too?" Blake asked quietly.

"No. I need someone to stay with me, so we can get started on gathering our allies," he answered. "Before you go, Your Highness, Ruby, let's go over some finer details…"

Ozpin and Weiss started to discuss strategy for the immediate future. Ruby stayed out of the conversation, lips shut tight, as she felt Blake staring at her, as if to read her very soul.

* * *

"Wow. Now that I look at it again, this is one tall wall," Ruby whistled as she looked up Vale's eastern outer wall. "Wonder how mom climbed it."

"Ruby. Quiet," Weiss hissed, keeping her hand on the pommel of her rapier as they walked towards the breach. "Don't speak. Let me to the talking."

Ruby lowered her head obediently and hid behind the queen. The breach on the wall remained just as it was one month ago, with naught but some wooden barricades and a handful of soldiers to keep the Grimm at bay. Cinder must have preferred it stay that way.

As they got closer, one of the soldiers noticed them and stood to full attention. The rest of them followed suit. Weiss kept her gaze strong even as her heartbeat accelerated. Obviously, she had been recognized.

"At ease, soldiers," she said as they walked by them. "Tell the Regent-"

The rustle of rising pistols sounded behind them, and Weiss turned around hastily. Ruby was already at work, though, vanishing and reappearing in front of each of the soldiers, her scythe a red blur in the cold air. In a matter of seconds, the soldiers were down and out.

"Sweet Moon, Ruby," Weiss muttered. "That's… frightening, I must admit."

"Thank you, milady," Ruby curtsied. "Cinder said much the same. Well, she didn't _say_ anything, but the expression on her face was enough."

"She has made formidable foes," the exiled queen nodded. "They will wake up, right? I wouldn't want to leave the breach unguarded for long."

"Don't worry! I was gentle."

Weiss chose to trust her on that statement. The two walked through the breached walls, until their feet were being swallowed in the thick layer of snow of the plains. Ruby shivered and hid her hands beneath her armpits.

"Well," Weiss took a deep breath. "Let's see if this will work."

She joined her hands together in front of her and closed her eyes. After a moment of concentration, she parted them, and the air around them seemed to clear, and the falling snow fell in arcs beyond them at all sides, as if an invisible umbrella had been opened above them.

"Do you feel warm?" Weiss asked. "Answer truthfully. The last thing I need is for you to freeze to death halfway through the journey. Not only would I lose a friend, but also be left stranded with no directions to follow."

"Aw, you consider me a friend?" Ruby smiled widely.

"Answer the question, Ruby."

"I don't feel warm, but it's warm _er_ than before. I think we can go," the redhead said. "What about you? Won't the magic tire you out?"

"I don't think so. This is an easy effort to maintain," Weiss stated. "As for the cold… It shouldn't be a problem. It never bothered me, anyway."

Ruby nodded, and together, they walked off, deep into the raging blizzard.

* * *

 **Yes. I made a Frozen reference. *puts on shades* DEAL WITH IT. If you found it stupid, be grateful it happened the way it happened. I was originally going to put it in during the discussion with the whole group, when Weiss first suggested she should go to the cabin. I had to stop myself because it ruined the seriousness of the situation. Sadly, I wasn't strong enough to stop myself completely.  
**

 **And guess what? There was, like, five paragraphs of Yang. Again. Poor girl. But I know that she WILL be super-important next chapter. There is no more stalling anymore.**

 **Oh, and regarding** ** _KabalAndStryker_ 's anonymous review of last chapter: I actually wanted to write more of homeless Weiss too, but, simply put, the pacing of the story (and the chapter itself) would have suffered far too much from it. I needed to get Ruby, Blake and Weiss back together, so they could then meet Ozpin, and lay the foundation for the counter-attack. It's always sad when I have to scrape or reduce an interesting point element for the good of the overall narrative. **

**-Zeroan**


	20. Frost

"T-t-there it is," Ruby muttered, her teeth chattering loudly. "T-the c-cat-like m-m-mountain. S-see, it h-has c-cat e-ears? Like B-blake?"

"I see it," Weiss nodded, a vaguely amused smile on her lips. "It doesn't look anything like Blake."

"Y-you know what I m-meant…"

Weiss frowned and looked back at her companion. The air around them was lighter, protected from the blizzard by her magic, but still, Ruby was shivering constantly. She showed little skin, her cloak and scarf covering most of her, except for her face.

"Do you need a break?" Weiss asked worriedly. "We can find a place to rest nearby, where the wind won't get to you."

"N-no, I'm fine," Ruby shook her head determinedly. "We're almost there. Just a couple m-more hours."

"Alright. But if you begin to feel like you're going to faint…" The exiled queen looked away. "Call my name. Understood?"

"Y-yes…"

Weiss nodded, and they resumed their trek through the blizzard.

* * *

The cavern walls of Nora's laboratory reverberated as she brought her hammer down on her working table time after time, slowly giving shape to her latest invention.

Metal wings… They probably wouldn't work. Not only were they too rigid to properly imitate a bird's movements, there was also the issue of weight. She doubted anyone would be light enough to lift themselves off the ground for more than a few seconds.

And that worried her. Nora never doubted her inventions. _Never_. If she had an idea, she couldn't stop trying to make it work until it finally did. But now… now she was distracted. There was something much more important on her mind than impractical metal wings.

"Mom?"

The inventor turned around and lifted her goggles from her eyes. Penny stood before her, hands joined behind her back, with an inquisitive expression on her face.

"Yes, sweetie?" Nora asked, mustering her regular, upbeat tone of voice. "Do you need something? I've got some candy here somewhere, I think I put it in the weapon stash – probably not the safest thing ever, but it sounds fun, right?"

"I don't want candy. You look stressed," Penny cocked her head slightly. "Is it about Yang?"

"What – How did you know?" Nora narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Did you develop super intelligence on your own or something? Because that would be _pretty cool_ …"

Penny crossed her arms and kept staring at her. Nora sighed. For a little girl, Penny sure knew how to pressure people into speaking their minds.

"Alright. I'm worried about her," Nora confessed. "It's been almost a week since she left, and she didn't even eat anything before. Yeah, she's warm and all, but she can still freeze out there, if she's not careful."

"Well, I'm sure she knows that!" Penny smiled. "She'll come back soon!"

"…Yeah, you're right, sweetie. I'm just being silly."

Nora didn't have it in her to explain that, sometimes, things were not as simple as they should be. That, sometimes… people just lose the will to care about their own well-being.

"I could go looking for her!" Penny suggested eagerly. "I'd be fine out there, right? The cold doesn't affect me that much."

"No, Penny, you can't do that!" Nora's eyes widened in horror. "Your joints could get frozen, or your inner circuitry could shatter, or… Just no! We're not talking about this!"

"But, mom-"

" _No_. Just because you're… different, doesn't mean you have to risk your own life for others," Nora interrupted, her voice uncharacteristically stern. "You're forbidden of going outside the house," her gaze softened. "How about you find your father? Wasn't he going to bake us a cake? A _chocolate_ cake… Yummy…"

"…Alright…"

Nora sighed before turning back to her work table. She hated talking about Penny's unique… _being_ in front of her, much less _with_ her. And taking that tone… She hoped she never would have to do that again.

She looked down at her unfinished invention and pursed her lips. Maybe… Maybe there was some way to make this work. Some way that would help cheer up her little metal girl…

Humans weren't meant to fly… but they also weren't meant to be constructed…

* * *

Traveling through the plains wasn't as hard as Weiss had expected. It wasn't confusing, it was just… exhausting. The cold didn't affect her, but her feet were weary from drudging through the tall snow, and her vision was irritated from staring into the vast white horizon.

At least they had landmark to keep them on their path, as Ruby had promised, though she would have missed of them if not for the redhead's help. Odd-looking trees, rock formations with funny shapes, crumbled and snowed-in watchtowers… Weiss was beginning to realize she had seen little of her own kingdom. She would need to correct that later.

"Ruby, do you go out here often?" She asked loudly. Seconds passed with no answer. "…Ruby?"

She looked back. Ruby had stopped walking and was now almost outside the reach of Weiss' magic, wavering where she stood. As distant as they were, Weiss noticed how glassy Ruby's eyes were.

"Ruby!"

Weiss sprinted towards the redhead, barely managing to catch her before she toppled to the ground. The white-haired girl looked around hastily, gritting her teeth in panic. Seeing no other option, she rushed forward, hoping to spot Nora Valkyrie's house nearby.

She didn't have such luck, but she did find a natural cove on the foot of a hill. It was small, having barely enough space for the two of them, but the wind didn't reach it. Weiss set Ruby down against a wall and kneeled, hands trembling with fear.

Ruby's lips were blue, and her breath came in infrequent bursts. Weiss had been sheltered all her life, but she couldn't misinterpret the signs before her. Hypothermia, or the Cold, as the commoners called it. It wasn't unusual, especially in Vale, Weiss knew, but the Castle had always been warm, so she had never seen it in person.

She had no way to tell for sure, but it looked like a severe case. What was she supposed to do? Her magic should be helping somewhat, but Ruby didn't seem to be getting better. Weiss leaned forward and pressed her ear against Ruby's chest. Thankfully, her heart was beating, but very, very faintly.

Ruby's hands rose slightly and closed around Weiss's arms. The royal froze, thinking she had done something wrong.

"C-cold…"

Weiss stared at Ruby with a mixture of shock and relief. Carefully, she sat beside the redhead and wrapped her arms around her. Ruby shuffled closer and clung to her, burying her head between her neck and her shoulder.

"Is this… good?" Weiss whispered. "I'm… I'm not that warm, am I? I'm probably making it worse."

Ruby shook her head and somehow managed to cling to her even more tightly.

"I'm sorry about this. I should have been paying more attention to you," Weiss said quietly. "Instead, I got lost in thoughts. I… used to dream about seeing the rest of Vale. Maybe travel the world, if possible. But Winter said it wasn't safe, and that I needed to study and… prepare myself for…" She paused. "I hated her. I thought she was taking her anger out on me, because our parents died. As if she _wanted_ to die so I would take her place. How selfish and stupid I was…"

Weiss looked at the ceiling to avoid the tears emerging in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. You must hate me right now. Look at you, almost dying, and I'm sitting here, whining," she shook her head and tried to close as much space between the two of them as possible. Not for the first time, she cursed her inherited magic. "I'm not going to lie, Ruby. When we first met, I thought of you as a bother. Yes, you were rather impressive, when you _actually_ did your job, but…"

Weiss faltered. It felt like her throat was closing up, fighting against the words she wanted to say. She like to think she wasn't the same petty princess from before, but it seemed like change did not come all at once. It was a long process, like a stair of a thousand narrow steps, where one slip-up would take her back to the beginning.

"I… By all rights, I should have fired you, probably have you punished for how many times I almost died under your protection. Yet I never wanted to do that, because from the very beginning, I felt like… Like you were a friend. You actually cared about me. I didn't want to lose you."

"W-Weiss…" Ruby managed to utter, chattering teeth and all.

"Don't waste your energy," Weiss' brow furrowed in concern. "You need to keep your energy. Stay still, get warm… as warm as you can get. I won't let anything bad happen to you. Let me protect you, for once."

Ruby nodded weakly and closed her eyes. Her shaking had lessened considerably as Weiss talked, and now the queen could feel some warmth coming from her unlikely companion.

"Do you mind if I… sleep…?"

"No," Weiss raised an eyebrow at her. "As long as you don't snore."

"Hmm… Alright…" Ruby's lips curved slightly. "You're the best… princess… ever…"

Weiss bit her lip, thinking to correct on Ruby's mistake. She wasn't a princess anymore. But instead, she just ran a hand through the redhead's hair and waited for her to fall asleep.

* * *

Yang's vision was black and red as she stood in the plains, fire swirling around her like a living inferno under her command. Shadows surged around her, dozens upon dozens of Grimm attracted to her hatred and sorrow, like moths to a flame.

She thrust her fists, unleashing her fiery wrath upon them. Ashes scattered in the snow, but she had no time to appreciate that, as the horde jumped at her. Like a beast from hell, she fought back, a mess of punches and kicks that destroyed anything that came within her reach.

Her thoughts and awareness had disappeared many days ago, leaving nothing behind except for her bestial self. Even during daytime, she felt the Moon's power flowing through her body. There was nothing more, now, only herself and the fire coursing through her veins.

The Grimm onslaught halted for a moment, their number no doubt dwindled from her remaining presence in the plains. If she were in her right mind, she would be happy that she was helping making the world a safer place, but currently, she was just happy to have an outlet for her rage.

A shadow appeared behind her, and Yang turned around instinctively. She closed a hand around the creature's arm and pulled, growling ferociously. An odd noise reached her ears, like metal ripping apart, but she only vaguely took notice of it.

Yet the scream after that shook her up greatly.

"What?"

Yang blinked, clearing her vision… but nothing was there, except for a strange black pool in the snow. Blood? No. What _was_ that?

Like a plague, the Grimm reappeared, closing in around her. Yang clenched her fists and grit her teeth. Flames ignited around her.

And, just like that, she was back in the fight.

* * *

Weiss narrowed her eyes as she fought her way through the snow, trying to make out anything in the bleak terrain in front of her. Had everything always been so white before, or had the weather gotten worse? She could hardly make anything out except for a few dead trees' husks and patches of gray rocks.

She cursed quietly, regretting her decision to not wake Ruby up. Somehow, neither the blizzard nor her moving had woken Ruby up, and she was still sleeping soundly in Weiss' arms. The redhead was light – scarily so. It was almost as if Weiss was carrying nothing at all.

Sometime after Ruby had fallen asleep, Weiss had decided to move on, for while it was definitely much safer and warmer in the cave, they would have to leave it eventually. They had no food, and Weiss feared what would happen if Ruby didn't get somewhere that was actually warm.

The royal stopped suddenly as she spotted something in the ground in front of her. The snow was tainted black in several spots. At first glance, Weiss thought it was blood, but upon further examination, she realized it was something else. The substance was too dark and greasy to be blood.

It couldn't be… oil?

Nevertheless, it was the first thing to stick out to her since she'd left the cave, so Weiss was more than inclined to follow its tracks. The liquid made a fine trail, rising higher and higher on bumpy hills, until Weiss found herself standing atop one of them. She stood on the tip of her toes, examining the horizon…

Her heart skipped a beat as she finally caught sight of a large cabin not too far from her. It couldn't be more than a few minutes' walk. The only reason she hadn't spotted it sooner was because of the damn blizzard cutting her vision short, but that wasn't a problem anymore because of her position.

Her relief was quickly replaced by fright as she heard a roar somewhere behind her. Weiss jumped and turned around. A swirling burst of fire cut through the blizzard, rising high to the sky, like the fireworks people sometimes lit in festivals. Yet this was different. The fire was uncontrollable, fierce, and Weiss did not doubt for a moment that it would have burned her to a crisp had she been closer to its origin.

Gritting her teeth, Weiss held Ruby with more force and took off towards the cabin. She couldn't run, and more than once she almost twisted her ankle, but she wasn't about to wait around and get killed by another sudden fire.

Her hold on her magic dwindled as she exerted her body. A few specks of snow made it through her invisible barrier and fell upon her and Ruby. The redhead blinked and looked around confusedly, then sneezed as a snowflake found its place on the tip of her nose.

"Bloody Moon, Ruby, don't do that!" Weiss shrieked as she almost lost her balance. "We're almost there!"

"W-what?!" Ruby exclaimed. "Where a-are we?!"

"Do I need to repeat myself?!"

Another burst of fire occurred behind them, its light reflecting faintly on the snow before them. Ruby's eyes widened, but a moment later, that surprise was replaced by concern.

"Weiss, I t-think-"

"Do you think you can stand the cold for a few minutes?" Weiss interrupted hastily. "If I let go of my magic completely, I might be able to run faster. It's risky, but not as much as being near whatever's happening back there."

"But…" Ruby frowned. "Put me on my feet. I-I'll carry you."

"Are you mad? You're in no condition to run," Weiss glared at her. "Don't you dare protest. I might not be your liege officially, but…!"

After a moment of hesitation, Ruby nodded her understanding. Weiss dropped her magic, and the blizzard hit them like an ocean wave, almost knocking the royal down on her back. She stood for a moment, getting used to the new feeling, before sprinting. As planned, she was moving much faster now without the toll of her magic, even with the blizzard fighting her like an alive obstacle.

A few moments later, they reached the cabin's porch, and Weiss all but crashed against its door, producing a loud cracking noise. Ruby went rolling on the floor as Weiss fell on her back, cursing herself and her carelessness.

"Weiss!" Ruby shouted. "Are you hurt?!"

She tried to get up, but as soon as she put her weight on one leg, she tumbled to the ground, hissing in pain. Weiss jumped to her feet and raised her up, wrapping one of her arms around Ruby's shoulders to help her stand. She raised her free arm to knock on the door, but before she could finish that action, it opened and a young man stepped outside.

"What is…" His words died in his mouth as he looked at Ruby, then Weiss, then back to Ruby. "Ruby?"

"Yeah," Ruby gulped. "N-nice to see you, Ren."

"You can exchange pleasantries later. She needs to get warmed up _now_ ," Weiss said aggressively, almost as if she feared he would refuse to help. "That's an order."

"Alright…?" His tone was a tad confused, but he took a step back and gestured inside anyway. "Come in. I apologize for… Well, you've come at a bad time. Though I suppose ghosts mustn't have a good sense of…" He paused. "Come, quickly."

He closed the door after they entered, then guided them to another room, with a well-burning fireplace and cushioned sofas. Weiss set Ruby down on one of them, giving little attention to her surroundings. Only once the Reaper was comfortable did she look around, and when she did, she nearly shouted in horror.

Sitting on the sofa across from them was a woman around Ren's age, and a much younger little girl. The woman was fussing over the girl like a worried mother, which would have been an endearing sight, if not for the fact that the kid was missing her right arm. If that wasn't disturbing enough, blood wasn't pouring out of the injury.

"Oil," Weiss said breathlessly. "What… What the hell is going on here?!"

"What?" The woman blinked and looked at her. "Oh. Hi. I'm Nora. This is Penny. We're a little busy right now."

"Evidently," Weiss agreed, mortified. "How…? _Why_?"

Nora sighed in frustration, and for a moment, Weiss thought she would lunge and attack her. But the orange-haired woman's eyes wandered over her, and soon found Ruby.

"What!" Nora bellowed and jumped up the sofa.

"Hi." Ruby said awkwardly.

"Salutations!" Penny piped up cheerfully, lifting her destroyed arm, which caused a heavy drop of oil to hit Nora's face. "Oops. Sorry."

"How are you alive?" Nora asked, completely ignoring the liquid oozing down her face.

"How is that girl _not dead_ right now?" Weiss rebutted and pointed at Penny.

Penny looked away, as if she was ashamed. Nora shook her head and, at a loss for words, turned to examined the girl's injury again. Len cleared his throat and stepped closer to Weiss and Ruby.

"As I said. A bad time," he noted. "Ruby, your sister has been living with us for a while now, but she left a week ago to… train. Or so she said. She hasn't returned, and Penny took it upon herself to go searching for her."

He shook his head sadly and sighed. Ruby looked at Penny's torn arm with a mixture of horror and despair.

"But…" She muttered. "Yang would never hurt _anyone_ like that."

"Well, she did," Nora said bitterly. "Unless you're going to tell me a Grimm did this."

"She's fighting Grimm?!" Ruby exclaimed. "I have to find her!"

She started to lift herself up, but Weiss pushed her back down and shook her head sternly.

"You are not going anywhere," Weiss said. "I'll find your sister."

"But… Weiss!" Ruby protested meekly. "Aren't you tired?"

"No," the exiled royal lied. She took a step back and fiddled with the rapier on her hip, as if to make sure it was still there. "This is why we're here. To bring your sister back. That's I intend to do."

Weiss turned around and strode out of the room. A moment later, Ruby and the others heard the front door open and close forcefully. Snow slid down the roof and fell on the ground outside.

"So…" Nora looked back at Ruby. "How are you alive?"

Ruby groaned. Would this ever get any easier?

* * *

When Weiss ventured outside the cabin, she found a very different plain than she had been before. The monotony of white was now being broken constantly by dark blurs in the horizon. It took her a while to realize what she was seeing: Grimm upon Grimm, converging on one location at full velocity.

Most of them ignored her completely, but some sensed her presence and closed in, bearing fangs and claws. Weiss held her rapier in shaking hands, having never fought a Grimm before. When the first one lunged at her – a dark wolf that might have been twice her size – she raised her weapon in an aimless slash. The creature dropped to the floor, injured, but not defeated.

Weiss jumped back as the rest of the creatures dashed at her. In her panic, she just executed that same maneuver again and again, repelling wolf after wolf, until a different, armadillo-like monster managed to deflect her attack and tackled her to the ground.

Weiss rolled to the side, snow clouding her vision, and lifted her arms. A spire of ice formed beneath the monster, piercing it from its belly to its back. After a moment, it turned to smoke and was carried away by the blizzard.

Remembering her uncanny advantage, Weiss stood up and gestured with her arms. The wolves she had previously injured were sent flying away as blocks of heavy ice struck them and spread around their bodies. At impact or when they hit the ground, all were smoke in the end.

"Right," Weiss muttered. "I can do this."

She dropped her blizzard-proof barrier and ran through the plains. A tower of flames ignited somewhere near her, just behind a low hill. She ran towards it, thinking herself a fool, but carrying on nevertheless.

Finally, she saw the reason why all the Grimm were gathering. Someone stood in the snow, surrounded by roaring fire, as the monsters closed in. They were dispatched one by one, never stopping, clearly not realizing they had no hope of even striking their adversary.

Weiss stopped. A chill ran down her spine, and it wasn't from the cold. Suddenly, she realized why more Grimm weren't targeting her – why none of them had stopped her from arriving at the cabin before, even as she carried Ruby in her arms, driven by panic and fear. They were far more attracted to that figure, that one person who drew a horde of Grimm with only her rage.

"Xiao Long!" Weiss shouted.

Yang stopped briefly, and Weiss could swear she turned to look straight at her, before a Grimm slammed into her. The blonde got up in a heartbeat and ripped the monster apart, before screaming at the top of her lungs. A tornado of fire emerged from her, turning every Grimm around her to ash and melting the snow in the ground. Weiss lifted an arm in front of her face, feeling the heat on her skin like a furnace at full capacity.

And then, Yang began moving again, headed straight at her. Weiss cursed, realizing she had just made a big mistake. The blonde's eyes resembled two miniature suns, and for an instant, Weiss saw Cinder take her place. Terror overwhelmed her, and she turned to run.

She didn't take a third step before Yang tackled her viciously, sending her rolling on the ground painfully. Yang roared like an animal and leaped towards her, but Weiss waved a hand hurriedly, and the blizzard converged at the red-eyed girl, who crashed down with a whimper.

"Stop!" Weiss got up, panicking. She had lost her rapier during her tumble, and it was nowhere to be found now. "Xiao Long! Do you recognize me?"

"I _do_!"

Yang lunged at her again, but Weiss dove to the side and weaved an icy barrier between them. The blonde tried to reach her, only to be sent back with a painful bounce. Not deterred, she punched the barrier, trying to break it. Cracks started to show on the magical fabric, much to Weiss' fright. Finally, Yang swung again, this time with a fiery fist, and the barrier shattered like glass. Flames showered Weiss, but she managed to put them out before her clothes caught fire.

"Stop it _right now_ , or I'll be forced to strike back!" Weiss warned.

"Oh, no!" Yang barked, briefly regaining her normal personality. "Don't hurt me, oh powerful Queen!"

She lifted an arm, flames swirling around her fist in preparation for a full-out attack. Weiss didn't take any chances and struck before her by manipulating the blonde's immediate vicinity. The air and snow converged around Yang, forming icy shackles on her arms and legs. She growled furiously and melted them immediately.

"Are you dumb, or did you think-"

Suddenly she was on the ground, a massive layer of solid ice covering her torso. Her ribs hurt, and breathing was difficult, almost painful. She raised the temperature of her body once again to melt the ice, but Weiss stood over, now with her rapier in hand, the tip of its blade on Yang's neck.

"I told you to stop. Are _you_ dumb?" Weiss asked furiously. "Ruby is alive. She's back at the cabin, resting."

Yang froze as she looked up at Weiss, her eyes now violet. Tears started to form, and she clenched her fists.

"You bitch," her eyes shifted back to red. "How dare you lie about my _sister_!"

"I'm not lying!" Weiss exclaimed. "Do you think I want you to kill me? No. I'm here to take you back to her," she dropped her rapier and gestured at it meaningfully. "See? You could tear my head off right now, but you won't. Because I'm telling the truth."

"…Are you?"

"I swear on my life."

Yang looked away, and this time, her eyes stayed violet. Her fiery aura was gone, so Weiss took it upon herself to lift a barrier and protect her from the blizzard. She kneeled beside the blonde and brought the pommel of her rapier down on the ice encasing her torso, shattering it after a few hits.

"Are you injured?" Weiss asked. Getting no answers, she huffed and hit the blonde on the shoulder. "Answer the question."

"I'm… I'm fine," Yang blinked. "Let's go back."

"Of course, you idiot," Weiss stood up again and offered a hand. "What _else_ would we do?"

"You're still a brat," Yang noted dryly. "…Thank you."

She took Weiss' hand and got up. Together, they walked back towards the cabin.

* * *

"Ah, damn… This is going to be _really_ tricky…" Nora sighed. "It might take a few days to get a new arm ready, sweetie, and I'm gonna need some _very_ specific measurements."

"That's alright!" Penny smiled. "You can take however long you need!"

Ruby smiled slightly as she watched Nora take measurements of Penny's broken arm. With the fireplace just beside her and two blankets covering her, she was feeling much, much warmer than before. Ren even brought her a cup of hot chocolate, which she gladly sat up to drink.

"You know you're kind of crazy, right, Penny?" Nora asked judgmentally. "Seriously. What did you think was going to happen when you found Yang? That would you have a tickle-fight or something?"

"No, I didn't," Penny replied shamefully. "I didn't think about it. But… tickle-fights _are_ fun!"

"They are!" Nora agreed with a wide smile. "We're gonna have one later! Challenge accepted?!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Ruby giggled and took another sip of her drink. Ren hummed happily on his seat. The scene was almost surreal, especially after spending so much time in the harsh open. Nora and Ren were crazy parents of an artificially built child. Ruby had seen lots of strange things in her life, but this one easily took the cake.

The front door opened, and two sets of footsteps entered the house, one much louder than the other. Ren took Ruby's cup, but she didn't have time to ask him why, as suddenly she was being lifted off the couch and pressed against a warm, familiar voice.

"Ruby!" Yang said, tears streaming down her face. "Y-you're _actually_ here!"

"Yang!" Ruby hugged her, trying her hardest not to cry just as much.

Yang put her down and stared at her face, caressing it with her hands as if to make sure her little sister was real. Her smile soured, and her eyes wavered worriedly.

"You're… you're kind of cold. And so light…" Yang turned her head to look over her shoulder. "Guess you weren't lying, after all."

Leaning on the doorframe, Weiss nodded, a little smile on her lips. Ruby's heart soared. The only thing keeping her from tackling the queen was her sister in front of her and, well, the fact that she was a queen.

"She told me what happened to you. How some Cinder Fall hag took your mom's body and is using her to rule Vale," Yang said, resorting to relaying facts so as to not make a scene. "I'm so mad! We're going to tear her in half, right?"

"Right!" Ruby nodded hesitantly. She looked at Weiss again. "How much did you tell her…?"

"I told her about where you went when you were asleep. About what happened with me and Blake. And about what we're going to do about Cinder," Weiss tilted her head meaningfully. "I left it for you to fill her in on the… finer details," she waved dismissively at the blonde. "I don't want to talk to her any more than is necessary."

"Oh, please! I know you love me, Your Highness!" Yang exclaimed.

Weiss shuffled in place, flustered, before turning her back on the room.

"You two should have some time for yourselves," she said. "Agreed?"

Ren nodded and got up, quickly exiting the room. Nora helped Penny up and began to follow. Yang's eyes widened as she looked at the young girl's torn arm.

"Oh, fuck – Penny!" Yang covered her mouth with her hands. "Did I… did I do that?"

"It's alright," Penny smiled nervously. "You weren't yourself. I'm still your friend. Right?"

"But… But… I can't…"

"Hey, you jerk! The kid wants to be friends with you!" Nora bellowed. "What kind of horrible person would deny her that?"

"A-alright… Sorry. We're friends."

Penny and Nora shuffled out of the room, followed by Weiss. Yang sat on the sofa, her face riddled with guilt. Ruby sat beside her and patted her back comfortingly.

"Don't worry, Yang. You heard what Penny said," she stated. "You weren't yourself."

"I know. It's just… I couldn't control myself. You were gone, you know? The only way for me to cope was by being… myself, I guess," Yang frowned. "I just wish Penny hadn't gotten hurt in the process."

Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but Yang stopped her with a hug which released almost all the air in her lungs.

"I've got you now, though," Yang whispered. "I don't have to be that way anymore. Unless it means killing Cinder, of course."

"Yeah…" Ruby said. "I… met your mother."

"You did!" Yang leaned back and looked at her expectantly. "How was she?"

Ruby hesitated, thinking of how to approach the conversation. She couldn't very well just list some of Raven's qualities, nor could she exaggerate too much. She felt Raven would like her daughter to know how she _really_ was like.

"I thought Raven was strange, at first. She seemed really cold, like nothing really mattered to her. It seemed like the only reason she rescued me was because I might be able to go back to the real world," Ruby said carefully. "But with time I began to understand she's not like that at all. Your mom is caring, and warm, in her own way. It was hard to see. She let me do what I wanted, even stupid, dangerous stuff like explore unknown territory, but when I came back, she made sure I was fine."

"She sounds… nice." Yang noted quietly.

"Yeah. And she was really focused on her – _our_ mission. She really wanted me to come back," Ruby said. "She said she would do anything to meet you. And she's watching," she smiled and waved near her sister's face. "Hi, Raven!"

"Ruby! Way to ruin the moment!" The blonde giggled. "Sheesh. You are still so lively, even with that big scary scythe of yours. Anything else you want to tell me?"

Ruby nearly gagged as she looked at Yang's big, inquisitive eyes. There wasn't a trace of accusation in them, but she was feeling horribly guilty, for some reason.

"I… saw memories of my mom and dad," she said. "That was nice."

"Anything special?" Yang prodded. "I'm all ears."

"Not really," Ruby shook her head slightly. "They just loved us. A lot. Oh! They used to call you a little imp, because you were always playing pranks on them."

"Yeah, that sounds just like me."

Ruby felt her throat drying, and her whole body felt cold, even though she was near the fireplace. Fear crippled her as Yang continued to stare at her, clueless as to how she was truly feeling.

The finer details, Weiss had said. Meaning family matters. A kind move, but Ruby almost preferred the queen had breached the topic herself. How was she supposed to say anything?

 _We're not really sisters. Your real dad enchanted your mom and killed your uncle. He tried to take you by force and killed your mom because she didn't let him. Oh, by the way, Cinder might be a relative of yours_.

"Yang, we… We're…" Ruby gulped. "We're never going to be torn apart again. Alright?"

"Of course. You don't need to say it," Yang smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Ruby felt tears stinging in her eyes, tears of relief, tears of happiness, tears of love.

But mostly, tears of shame.

* * *

 **Oh, God. Why can't I just write happy things? I seriously just ruined what should be a perfect family reunion. PLEASE I NEED A HEART TRANSPLANT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MINE!  
**

 **Also, Weiss was kind of the MVP this chapter. What a trooper. Someone give her a medal or something. (she didn't fix the heartache, though)**

 **Sorry for the delay between this chapter and the last. I don't have a super good reason for it. Just general writing blockyness and stuff. Bleh.**

 **-Zeroan**


	21. Deceit

Blake's footsteps rung softly beneath her as she ran along the rooftops of Vale, occasionally jumping the gap between houses and edifices. The chilly air of the night brushed against her skin, making her regret not changing her outfit. Leather was good for combat, but it offered little protection against the weather of her homeland.

More than once she had to stop in her tracks to listen, her cat ears springing to attention atop her head. She wasn't sure who would follow her, how and why they would do it, but she couldn't risk the possibility of that happening. One little intrusion and their whole operation would come crashing down on them like a broken dam.

Not that she had much emotional investment in the rebellion – or reclaiming of the throne; whatever Weiss wanted to call it. Blake thought whoever ruled Vale mattered little, at least to her and her kin. She doubted Weiss would do much for the faunus.

Yet there were other people involved, people she cared about who had become fugitives and enemies of the crown. Ruby, Yang, Ozpin, even Sun. She couldn't bear to see them demonized and do nothing about it.

And there was also the fact that she didn't like Cinder.

At all.

She came to a halt on top of a noisy, broken down tavern. Light poured from its window, accompanied by the noise of many drunken men and women. She twisted her nose at the scent of alcohol before dropping to the ground with grace. After a moment of consideration and wrapping a ribbon around her ears – much to her displeasure – Blake entered the tavern with her head hanging low.

The stench was even worse inside. It made her almost drop to her knees, and her eyes watered up in reaction. She waved her hand in front of her face and looked around bitterly, until she found a familiar face on a table at the corner of the establishment.

"Blake!" Sun smiled at her as she took her seat. "Thought you'd never show up."

"I didn't want to be followed," she explained shortly. "Ugh. Could you have chosen a nastier place to meet?"

"What? Oh, sorry. I think my sense of smell is halfway dead because I hang out here too often," Sun chuckled. "Anyways. Let's get to the business. Here at the guys I told you about."

He pointed to his two companions, who had been drinking quietly while they conversed. One of them had pale white skin, with red hair covering his right eyes, while his left eye was free, with strange red markings around it. The other one was dark-skinned with yellow eyes. A huge sword hung on his back.

"Hello," the red-haired one waved at her. "Name's Scarlet. The big one is Sage."

"Hey." Sage contributed shortly, before taking another drink of his beer.

"Nice to meet you," Blake looked from them to Sun with an accusatory glint in her eyes. "And you can help us how…?"

"Lady, did you miss the humongous sword Sage's got on his back?" Scarlet asked indignantly. "And these?" He fumbled with his belt below the table, then raised a cutlass and a pistol. "These are pretty dangerous. Good for dethroning witches."

"What Scarlet means," Sun cleared his throat. "Is that they are more than willing to help your cause. He's got a bad history with women, especially dangerous ones, like Fall. As for Sage… he likes pummeling people."

"That's not very funny," Sage noted, laying his cup down gently on the table. "I am not fond of the idea of tyrants ruling over anyone, and Cinder Fall sounds to be the worst of them. Jumped right out of the fairytale books – evil, evil witch. That is why I wish to help."

"He likes pummeling people," Scarlet shrugged. "And, yeah, women don't like me very much. Well, the joke's on them, because the sentiment goes right back."

Blake raised an eyebrow at him, then nodded towards the door. Sun signaled his understanding, then followed her out of the tavern, leaving Scarlet and Sage drinking alone, the latter looking vastly displeased by his companion's attitude.

Once they were outside, Blake turned to Sun and crossed her arms, making it clear how she felt about the meeting.

"Sage was being serious, you know?" Sun said hesitantly. "Me and Scarlet, we just like to joke around. He's not brainless. In fact, he's smarter than the two of us put together."

"Alright. Suppose I take your word for it," Blake sighed. "Why should I trust them? Cinder is powerful and dangerous, but she values her allies – like Sustrai and the White Fang. You've already given Scarlet and Sage more information about the rebellion than you should have. They could go to her and…"

"They wouldn't do that!" Sun interrupted angrily. "I can't believe you would say something like that! They're my friends, Blake. I would take a bullet for them, and they would do the same for me."

"They _are_ human," Blake hummed thoughtfully. Sun wasn't too fond of humans, so for him to vouch for two of them so loyally… "Alright. They're in. I'll keep you informed, and you'll act as their leader."

"Heh."

"Don't let it get to your head," she rolled her eyes. "Oh, and if anything bad happens, you'll be the one held accountable."

"Expected that. Always rainbows and cheers with you, Lady Belladonna."

Blake waved him off playfully, then walked away, blending into the shadows. She heard Sun opening and closing the door of the tavern behind her, then unwrapped the ribbon around her ears.

Nobody would be seeing her for the rest of the night.

* * *

"This was a stupid idea."

The sound of the blizzard was fierce around them, but Ruby still managed to pick up her sister mumbling at her side. Yang's body irradiated heat, almost melting the snow under their feet. Couple with Weiss' magic, it made their journey back to Vale much, much easier.

"What?" Ruby asked quietly, briefly lowering her scarf from her mouth.

"Bringing Nora along," Yang clarified, gesturing over her shoulder. "It's too many people to be taking through this weather. And Penny's just a kid."

When Ruby, Weiss and Yang had declared their intention to return to the city, Nora had insisted they would come to. Her reasons were unclear at first, but she argued that she couldn't let her friends go alone to fight Cinder. Ren came along, with the same resolve, though he spoke more with his action than his words.

They were less than thrilled when Penny said she would be going too. Apparently, Nora and Ren had intended to leave her in the house – they wouldn't take more than a month or two, they said, and there was plenty of food in stock there. But the construct had put her foot down and argued until they were forced to agree with her decision.

"We'll be fine. You and Weiss are doing a great job. I'm not even shivering or anything," Ruby said. "And the more people we have, the better. I know Weiss was happy that they volunteered."

"Pff. Lady Snowflake would be happy if a mice offered to help her." Yang noted sarcastically.

Ruby flinched, hoping Weiss hadn't heard that. Luckily, she was walking in front of them, out of earshot.

"But you have a point," Yang said. "Penny's tougher than she looks, I think. And we both know Nora is a demon with that hammer of hers."

"Yikes." Ruby gritted her teeth, remembering some ugly memories.

"And Ren's awesome, too. You know, this rebellion just sounds way too good, Ruby," Yang smiled. "Between those three, and me, and Blake, and _you_ … Cinder doesn't stand a chance."

Ruby looked away and pulled her scarf back to its previous position. Yang frowned and leaned closer, inspecting her sister's face carefully. She couldn't quite tell what, but something was wrong with Ruby.

"Ruby, are you alright?" She asked. "You seem strange."

"M-me?" Ruby shook her head. "No. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," Yang sighed. "Look, Ruby. You practically came back from the dead. That can't be an easy thing to go through. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

"Alright," the redhead nodded. "But I'm fine. Promise."

Yang hung back, not satisfied with the conversation, but decided to let the matter go, at least for now. She caught Weiss looking over her shoulder, specifically at Ruby, almost as if she were accusing her of something.

"Hey! Lady Pale!" Yang yelled. "What are you looking at?"

Weiss rolled her eyes and turned away. Yang snickered and elbowed Ruby slightly on her side. The redhead just shook her head and sighed in dismay.

* * *

The escalating violence and treason in the city showed in Castle Vale, with soldiers bustling about their patrol routes with lances and pistols at the ready, their eyes peering every corner, as if every shadow could hide an assassin. Blake would have found it amusing, if it didn't hamper her mission.

She had to get into the castle. Not only that, she had to find a very specific room, Prince Neptune Vasilias', and do it without being noticed. She had rested after meeting with Sun and waited for the daylight to end, but it would still be a difficult task.

Her first obstacle was the outer wall, which rose roughly five meters up the ground and had no possible handholds for her to use. Either she passed through the front gate – unlikely – or she jumped really, really high.

"Front gate it is."

Blake skittered along the wall, staying outside the eyesight of the guards above, until she reached the gate. Four soldiers stood there, and unluckily for her, they were as attentive as their other colleagues. She wished she had brought someone to help her. A distraction would be very, very helpful. But since she didn't have anyone, she would have to rely on herself.

A tingling sensation ran down her spine, then her shadow separated from her, a dark, wavering version of herself. At her signal, it ran past the gate, then picked up a rock. A moment after, it tossed the object, hitting one of the guards on top of the wall.

A commotion started as the man toppled back and fell, hitting the ground hard. For a moment, Blake felt guilty, but once the guards at the front left running to aid, she shook that sentiment off and ran.

She wasn't dumb enough to assume she was safe yet, though. The guards would soon realize their foolishness and send some back to watch the entrance, and the rest would grow even more watchful. The situation could turn very, very bad if Cinder caught word of the guard's incident.

With that in mind, Blake stayed always in the shadow, hidden, almost becoming one with the darkness. She darted from shade to shade across the courtyard, getting closer to the castle itself, until she was standing next to it.

The stone the castle had been built with wasn't as refined at the outer wall's, and so several handholds were available, and in plain sight. Blake had never climbed before in her life, but she figured it couldn't be too hard. She had, after all, the natural agility of a cat.

She reached for the first handhold and lifted herself up, her muscles straining with the effort. Not only did she have to hold onto the stone, she also had to pull her whole weight with her hand only. She went for the next one, but lost her grip on the first and fell.

She cursed quietly, now feeling foolish about her previous confidence. Of course climbing a castle wall wouldn't be easy, or else more people would attempt it. She took a deep breath and started again, taking her time, considering every move carefully in her mind before executing it.

It was an arduous effort, and she almost fell several times, but she was determined to get to the top. All the while as she climbed, she willed herself to be like a shadow, and the guards' eyes passed over her as if she wasn't there. After what felt like an hour, she reached a window and fell on her back on the floor of an empty hallway, just outside the area of a torch.

"Damn," she panted, exhausted. "I'm never doing that again."

She took a minute to recover, then stood up, not wanting to get caught by an unfortunate patrol. Weiss had drawn her a map of the interior of the castle before she'd left with Ruby, so Blake could get her bearings when she got inside. She fished it from the pocket of her pants and examined it, determining she was on the third floor, while Neptune should be on the fourth.

"Stairs," she murmured. "Gotta get to the stairs."

She drew her daggers, just as a precaution, and started moving. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to traverse the light of the torches and hope no one got on her way.

The silence of the castle was oppressive, broken only by the crackling of the torches on the walls. Shadows danced at the edges of Blake's vision, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up in attention, and despite the harsh cold of winter, she felt hot, even feverish – as if Cinder Fall herself was trailing right behind her, waiting for an opportunity to catch her and finish the job she had failed to do before.

Finally, she found the stairs, a sprawling collection of steps that connected every floor in the castle at its very center. A prime position to be caught at, but Blake didn't have any other choice. Every second she spent at the castle was a second she was in danger, and she wasn't eager about jeopardizing her luck by searching for another path.

She started to climb the stairs, but froze halfway through them as a sound echoed through the hallway she had been standing in just before. A man's laughter, crude and raspy.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Another said, clearly frustrated. "Damn faunus wouldn't leave my room. Was past dusk, and it still hadn't finished dusting the furniture. I had to do something."

"Of course, but you should have known better than to hit a rat, of all things," the other chuckled. "They look scrawny, but their bite stings. As you now know."

"Fuck you. And, anyway, I'm not the one who got the worst in the end. I'm not lying in a pit."

"That, I agree with."

Blake kneeled on the steps, ire and disgust bubbling inside her. Shadows gathered around her, crawling on her skin and sending shivers throughout her body. She bit on her own hand, finding it the only way to stop herself from storming back down the stairs to teach the men a lesson.

A minute passed, and the voices faded in the distance. Blake stood and started walking again, her thoughts clouded by her newly awakened feelings. If anyone had come her way, she wouldn't have noticed, but luck was still on her side.

At last, she reached the next floor, and after a brief moment of exploration, Neptune's room. She took a deep breath, focusing, and summoned a shadow of herself. It nodded wordlessly and walked at the door, passing through it. Then, she let go, and the world blurred around her, and suddenly she was standing inside the room.

Neptune was at his desk, writing a letter, still unaware of her presence. Blake walked behind him without making a noise, and wrapped an arm around him, covering his mouth with her hand. His eyes widened, and he pushed back, trying to force himself out of her hold.

"Stop squirming. You're going to alert the guards," Blake whispered. "I'm an ally of the Queen – Weiss Schnee, that is. I mean you no harm."

His resistance faltered, but he still seemed agitated.

"I will let go," she said. "But you must promise you won't make noise. It's in your best interest, anyway. You wouldn't want the Regent to learn I was in your room, no matter the circumstances."

For a moment, he was still, then he nodded. Blake released him and stepped back. Her hands flew to her daggers, just in case.

"You. You're, uh, Lady Belladonna," Neptune turned his chair around and faced her warily. His eyes rose to look at her faunus ears. "At least that's people called you before you tried to assassinate Weiss."

Blake's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I never intended to assassinated anyone. I only fought back when she – never mind. It's not important."

"Sure," the prince said. "Why are you here? You're an enemy of the crown. Vale castle is the last place you should be."

"True. I've come here to meet you," she replied. "I might be an enemy of the crown, but the crown is in the wrong head right now. Summer Rose is a farce and a manipulator. She hides her true face from everyone – quite literally."

"What?"

With great patience, Blake began to explain the situation to Neptune. She left out the finer details, like how Ruby had learned of Cinder's true nature, and the circumstances of her reunion with Weiss. His face showed a mixture of astonishment and cautious disbelief.

"Well, that's a lot to take in," he said when she was done. "So, basically, Summer Rose is an evil witch that has taken the throne for herself by using magic and manipulation? And that Weiss is alive and planning a rebellion?"

"Yes," Blake nodded, thinking this was the part he got up and called for the guards. Luckily, she had a trump card. "Weiss gave me a piece of information, something that only she knows about you, so that you know you can trust me."

"Sure," Neptune smiled cockily, crossing his arms. "Go ahead."

"…You're afraid of water. As in, you are terrified by the very sight of it."

Neptune blinked once, twice, and cleared his throat, sitting straighter on his chair. "H-how do I help?"

Blake's lips parted in wonder. When Weiss had told her about Neptune's fear, she had thought it was a joke, or some kind of trick to get her caught when she got in the castle. But, lo and behold, it was true.

"We need someone inside the castle, someone who can keep us informed of Cinder's moves and intention," she explained. "You might here, but you're not really that close to her, so you'll have to get in contact with someone else. Lady Glynda Goodwitch."

"Oh," Neptune's face paled. "Sure. I'll do that… It's not as if she's intimidating or anything. But how exactly do I get her to trust me?"

"Give her this," Blake rummaged through her pocket again and retrieved a small golden badge. "Ozpin's. It has his symbol, and he had it with him when he escaped, meaning there's no duplicate anywhere."

"I thought she didn't like Ozpin?" He frowned confusedly.

"He says she liked _Lady Rose_ even less."

"Alright. If you say so," Neptune shrugged. "Anything more?"

"No," Blake shook her head. She walked to the door. "Now I have to leave. Wish me luck."

"Wait-"

Before he could finish, she was in the hallway, merging with her shadow. She breathed in relief, but cut herself short. She still had one more thing to do before sneaking out of the castle.

"Your Highness," Blake whispered tiredly under her breath as she walked towards the stairs. "You had better be _very_ grateful when you come back."

* * *

Yang stretched her arms above her head, her hands almost touching the ceiling of the cavern sheltering them from the cold. Even with her supernatural warmth, the blizzard had left her bones sore and drained most of her energy, so the group had decided to rest up for some time in a safe place. She was not only grateful for herself, but also for the others. She could only imagine how _they_ were faring in the harsh weather.

"Hey," she approached Nora, Ren and Penny, who were gathered around a small campfire. "Are you warm? Want me to get the fire a little bigger?"

"This is good enough," Ren responded, nodding gratefully. "Thank you, Yang."

"My pleasure," the blonde smiled. "How are you holding up, Penny?"

Penny looked at her and shrugged. Nora was busy tinkering with her arm, finishing up the last repairs before it could be reattached.

"Again, I am so sorry I… did that…" Yang said, losing her voice halfway through the sentence.

"It's fine," Nora waved her off without looking at her. "Penny's not upset, so I'm not upset… _too much_."

Yang nodded somberly, then walked away from the campfire.

Weiss was sat down on the ground, leaning her back against a wall. Her eyes were closed, and her chest was rising and falling evenly. For a moment, Yang mused on the idea of waking her up, just to annoy her, but then decided to let the queen rest, at least for a little while. After all, if she bothered her at every opportunity, Weiss would quickly grow apathetic to her attitude – and that was something Yang was not willing to let happen.

The blonde walked to the entrance of the cave, where she found her sister. Ruby was standing up, her cloak drawn close around her, staring at the blizzard with a goofy smile on her face.

"Someone looks happy." Yang noted amusedly.

"W-what?" Ruby blushed and shook her head, as if that would somehow convince Yang that she was wrong. "N-no! I mean, I'm happy, but… but!"

"Hey, hey. Calm down," Yang raised an eyebrow at her. "I didn't say anything. Why are you so worked up?"

Ruby's cheeks somehow got even more red, but her lips kept closed tight.

"You shouldn't be standing so close to the blizzard without me or Lady Snowflake." Yang admonished.

"I'm fine," Ruby mumbled. "My cloak's warm."

"Alright," Yang shrugged, deciding to not press the matter. "But you should eat, at least. I have some of the bread we brought from Nora's. Here."

She offered a sizeable piece of the food to Ruby, who took it eagerly and immediately went for a bite. She winced as her teeth clashed against the cold, hard bread, but forced her way through it until she could chew properly.

"Now that that's taken care of," Yang smiled. "You are going to tell me what you were smiling about."

"Mmph!" Ruby spoke with her mouth full, then groaned in annoyance. A few seconds later, she managed to swallow. "No! I wasn't smiling about anything!"

"You are _extremely_ defensive," Yang's eyes narrowed, and her voice took a deeper tone. "Tell me _right now_ , little lady."

Ruby gulped, retreating into her cloak. Yang had very rarely used that voice, but when she did, she could never disobey her.

"A-alright," the redhead muttered. "Promise not to make fun of me?"

"Promise."

"I-I was…" Ruby blushed even harder. "I was thinking about Blake!"

Yang stared at her for a moment, then opened a huge smile.

"You promised not to make fun!" Ruby shouted angrily.

"I'm not!" Yang giggled. "It's just that… you're adorable. I mean, did you _really_ think I didn't know?"

"Didn't know about what?!"

Yang frowned, thinking that, if Ruby's face was any indication, she should be taking the conversation much more seriously. Because of that, she sat down, then gestured for her little sister to do the same. Ruby hesitated for a few seconds – during which Yang honestly feared she would run off into the blizzard, never to be seen again – then complied wordlessly.

"Alright, Ruby," Yang said calmly. "Let's talk frankly about this. No jokes. Clearly, you like Blake very much. You're close friends. But maybe it's more than that?"

"…Maybe," Ruby looked at the ceiling awkwardly. "Yes."

"Yes," the blonde nodded. "I figured that out a long time ago, before everything went to hell. It was kind of obvious, actually. But you're only noticing that now?"

"Well… This is weird, but…" Ruby squirmed a bit, still not looking at her. "When I was… away… I fell into a kind of trap. I dreamed of some pretty weird stuff. Raven told me that I was lured away, to dream a perfect world according to my own mind."

"Hmm," Yang tilted her head knowingly. "And that involved Blake?"

"Yeah. Before that, I had no idea I felt that way about her. For a while, I thought I was just going a little crazy, you know? Because of the whole dead, but not dead, thing?" Ruby leaned her head on her hands and sighed. "But then I woke up and I still want to… Uuuh…"

Yang contained her laughter and patted Ruby on the back. She had always wondered how Ruby would act when she found her first love, and this was pretty close to what she had imagined.

"You're not wrong for wanting to be with her, Ruby," Yang said. "And, trust me, I'm pretty sure Blake feels the same way about you."

"Oh," Ruby blinked. A moment later, she crossed her arms and glared at her sister. "You said you were going to stop joking!"

"I'm serious. _Very_ serious," Yang smiled. "The first I'll do when I see her again is give her my blessing."

Ruby blushed, then took to devouring the rest of her bread hastily, seeing it as the only way out of the conversation. This time, Yang couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The redhead sat straighter and looked at her, her lips curving into a smug smile.

"You know what else was in my perfect dream world?" She asked.

"What?" Yang chuckled. "Flying unicorns?"

"You and Weiss."

Yang stopped laughing, her face becoming a mask of horror and disgust. Without another word, she got up and walked away.

"Heh," Ruby snorted. "The joke wasn't funny this time, huh?"

* * *

Two days after Blake's visit to Neptune, she found herself wandering the city at night, waiting until time enough had passed so she could sneak into the castle again and learn if he had managed to contact Glynda. She would have been content to stay in the hideout, reading from its library and conversing with Ozpin, but she felt restless there, though she couldn't quite pinpoint why.

The hideout was quiet, to say the least. With only Ozpin living there, it felt empty, hollow of life. The general's company wasn't unpleasant, but he couldn't match the energy that Ruby - and even Weiss - brought to it. Not for the last time, Blake wished the redhead hadn't left so soon after their reunion, and wondered when she would return to Vale. It had been almost two weeks, surely she was on her way back.

Unless something had gone wrong. Blake knew it was foolish to think like that, but with each passing day, she grew more pessimistic. She had never gone out of the city in her life, but just by looking, she could tell the blizzard was deadly. Weiss' magic could have faltered, or the Grimm could have attacked at an unfortunate time. The dangers were too many to be ignored.

Yet nothing had ever been accomplished by thinking the worst, so Blake refused to linger on those possibilities for too long. She occupied herself with wandering the city, sticking by the shadows, and learning all she could about everything in it.

An air of unease permeated Vale. It was almost tangible, like a spider's web wrapping around everyone inside it. The commoners didn't know what, but they knew _something_ was wrong.

The Guard had become more active, at the orders of the Regent. Houses were searched every day, every corner inspected for signs of the disappeared queen Schnee, and dozens of faunus were captured in the process. Bodies of soldiers began to appear, displayed in public for all to see. The White Fang's retaliation was violent and merciless. Blake wondered how Cinder and Adam's alliance fared, if it still existed in any form.

With such chaos in the streets, rumors began to sprout, first modest, of little consequence, then they grew wild and spread everywhere. It brought Blake immense joy to know that most of them involved the Regent in some way or another, depicting her sometimes as a demon in disguise, and others as a woman driven mad by grief.

"I hear she's disgusted by the mere sight of the crown," a man said at the porch of a tavern, chatting with a few of his friends. Blake sat at the edge of the establishment's roof, listening intently. "Blames the queens for the death of her daughter."

"Please. The girl's not even dead," another interjected. "Folk say she was walking around town a couple weeks ago. Friend of my son claims she look as alive as anyone else, and, get this, she was carrying around that bloody scythe. It's the Red Reaper all over again."

"Saw her too. If you ask me, it's all a huge scheme by the Regent and that girl. They want the throne, and they're willing to kill the Schnees for it. Younger one had to run away to avoid the same fate as her sister's."

"Good riddance. Not like any of them ever did anything for us. Let the reds have a go at it. At least they're taking care of the faunus around here."

Blake sighed. Listening to these conversations always brought a bitter taste to her mouth. It was good to hear that hardly anyone was oblivious to what was happening in the city, but the topic somehow always turned to the faunus or Ruby, and Blake could count on her fingers the times they had been treated righteously.

She stood up, not wanting to listen anymore. Her eyes scanned the city slowly. It was broad daylight, so she couldn't very well walk the streets without drawing unwanted attention. She could try to blend in, as she was wearing her ribbon just for safety, but with the Guard being so throughout, she thought that would be far too risky.

As she thought of what to do next, something stopped her in her tracks. In a nearby rooftop, just a few houses to the left, stood a familiar figure, dressed in red and with a weapon attached to her back. Blake blinked and rubbed her eyes, sure that she was hallucinating, but when she looked again, she was still there.

"Ruby?" She muttered in disbelief, then started to walk in that direction. She jumped the gap from one building to the next, then looked up again. Ruby nodded at her and pointed down, signaling to the alleyway below, before jumping down there.

Blake's steps quickened, her mind racing wild. If Ruby was back, why was she here? Something must have happened if she had gone searching for her. Maybe Weiss was hurt, or their plan was compromised. Or she couldn't wait to talk.

Finally, the faunus dropped down, landing gracefully in the alleyway. Ruby stood a clear distance away from her, an odd smile on her lips, hands crossed behind her back. Blake raised an eyebrow at that. Nothing bad must have happened.

"You're back."

"Yep. Back for good!" Ruby waved at her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Blake nodded. "And glad you're here."

"Aw, Blake! No need to be sappy!" The redhead giggled. "Anyway, I wanted to find you as quickly as possible, so I just went looking. Sorry if you were busy. Were you busy with something?"

"No. I was just waiting, actually."

"Nice!" Ruby spun around cheerfully. "And where's the queen?"

Blake frowned and took a step back. Everything about the situation rang alarm bells inside her head. She looked Ruby up and down, trying to discern what was wrong – then it clicked. Something about those silver eyes, always so pure, but now staring at her with…

"Blake?" Ruby muttered, her shoulders dropping sadly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Ruby," Blake said slowly. "Weiss was with you. Did something happen?"

"W-what?" The redhead's eyes widened. "Was she? I-I don't remember."

"You don't remember?"

"No. Ever since I came back, I've… Well, I don't feel very normal. My head's messed up."

And suddenly, Blake was reeling with guilt, feeling an urge to hug Ruby and tell her everything was fine.

"I think…" Ruby put the back of her hand against her forehead. "We need to find Weiss. Where's everyone? Maybe she-" She jumped forward and raised her hands, looking past Blake's shoulder. "Wait, don't-"

Blake spun around, just in time to see a knife soaring towards her head. She stepped aside, feeling air rush to her face as the blade flew millimeters from her nose. Then she looked aside and noticed Neopolitan marching towards her, twin knifes on her hands and a vicious smile on her lips.

"Ruby, run!" Blake yelled, then sprinted towards her friend, grabbing her by the wrist. Just then, a nauseous feeling came over her, as her hand felt something solid, but invisible, before Ruby's thin arm.

Ruby's form flickered, and suddenly, Emerald Sustrai took her place. "Neo, you idiot!" She yelled. "I had her!"

"Killed Roman," Neo answered shortly, her pink and brown eyes fixed at Blake with pure malice. "She'll pay."

Blake stood still for a moment, disoriented by the situation, then backhanded Emerald on her right cheek. The green-haired assassin was sent reeling back, her back slamming against the wall behind her.

Blake turned around and ran out of the alleyway, pushing a man out of her way, and reached for the house across from her. She jumped, then kicked against the wall for another boost, and reached for the roof. Her hand closed on the edge, and she pulled herself up.

Just as she got up, something dug into the back of her left shoulder. She fell on her face, her nose breaking and spilling blood. Hissing, she managed to get on her knees and distance herself from the edge. Blake looked over her shoulder and found a wicked knife embedded in her flesh.

"Ah…" She gasped. The world seemed to be spinning around her, and her stomach was making turns. For a moment, her eyes closed, her strength draining away quickly, but she struggled to stand again and began to walk.

She jumped, and almost didn't make it to the next building. Blood painted the rooftop as she rolled on it. Regardless, she powered through, hearing people shouting below.

This wasn't how she died. Not yet. Not this way. There was still a life for her, a purpose to fulfill.

The scent of roses invaded her nostrils, sweet, intoxicating, deathly…

* * *

When she came to, her heartbeat rang in her ears, and something was prickling the back of her shoulder. She felt numb, limped against a chair. Someone was behind her, breathing steadily.

"Don't move," Ozpin said. "I'm stitching your wound. One slight movement, and you might suffer permanent injuries."

"Mm," Blake mumbled. "Numb."

"Medicine. Powerful stuff," he explained. "Had to be, or else you wouldn't have stopped trashing. You lost a lot of blood, so that will also add to your faintness."

"Great. How did I get here…?"

Ozpin didn't respond immediately, taking his time to work on her wound diligently. Blake was too tired to be grateful, and she wanted answers more than anything.

"You were collapsed and bleeding on the top of a building. Sun found you, luckily before it was too late," he said. "He brought you here, then departed. Now, might I ask how _this_ came to pass?"

"Emerald tricked me," Blake replied. "She looked like Ruby."

Ozpin froze for a moment. "She stole her body? Like Cinder did to Summer?"

"No. It was like… an illusion. She even sounded like Ruby," Blake shook her head. "I think she wanted me to lead her to Weiss, but Neopolitan ruined her plan. Wanted revenge for Torchwick. I touched Emerald, and the illusion faded."

"That explains the times I was framed before," Ozpin nodded. "Cinder has powerful allies."

"I doubt she's happy with them now, though."

They spent the next minutes in silence. Blake almost fell asleep as Ozpin closed her wound. When he finished, he stood and helped her turn around to sit properly in her chair. She almost fell to the side, so faint she was, but he caught her.

"You know why this happened, right?" He asked, sounding protective, like a father to his child.

"Mm. Because Neopolitan is a maniac." She answered tiredly.

"No. It's because you might as well have painted a target on your back. You might think you are furtive, but to attentive eyes, to _our enemies'_ eyes, you stand out like a torch in the night," Ozpin corrected. "What did you think was going to happen? You go out there, day and night, claiming to have one task or another. But you've already done all that was asked of you. There's no need to put yourself in risk," he paused. "Unless you seek death on purpose. Is that it?"

"Maybe," she replied immediately, looking him in the eyes. Just as the words left her mouth, though, she remembered everything she had felt as she blacked out, that feeling of powerlessness, of futility, and despair over lost opportunities. "No."

"Then I suggest you stop. For your own sake."

Blake nodded mutely, staring at her lap. She heard Ozpin walking away, and slowly but surely, her eyes closed again.

* * *

"Congratulations," Cinder clapped slowly as she stared at Emerald and Neopolitan, who stood silent in front of her throne, like mice corralled by a cat. "Adam Taurus and his lackeys have been killing my men daily; Ruby Rose has risen from the grave and declared her intention to kill me; Weiss Schnne is nowhere to be found; and _still_ , you've managed to put me in an ever fouler mood."

She jumped to her feet, and both of the assassins flinched in reaction. Cinder smirked bitterly, then raised Emerald's chin with her hand, staring her in the eyes. "I've grown fond of you. You're useful, and you don't ask too many questions. Maybe you're fooling me, but I sense that you might even like me a little," she said. "So, I will allow you an opportunity to explain yourself."

Emerald gulped, her fists opening and closing nervously. A drop of sweat ran down her forehead as heat emanated from Cinder in arduous waves. "As you commanded, I lured Belladonna into a secluded space, disguising myself as your – as Ruby Rose," she said. "I talked to her, asked her where the queen was. Apparently, she's with Ruby, and I was almost caught in my ruse, but I managed to convince her I was disoriented… or something like that. I was about to extract more information…" She looked sideways at Neopolitan. "When Neo attacked her. Things went to hell, and she escaped."

Cinder leered at her for a while, as if she could somehow tell if she was telling the truth or not, then backed off. Her eyes wandered to Neo. "Why?"

"She killed Roman." The multicolored assassin said, and despite her fearful posture, her voice was full of conviction.

"Ah. I understand. You wanted to avenge him," Cinder stepped closed, laying a hand on her shoulder. A smile formed on her lips. "I admire that loyalty. But, you see, I don't particularly care if Roman is avenged or not. I don't care if you were his daughter, whore, pet, whatever. What I do care about, is getting _results_ ," her tone grew deadly, the tip of her nose almost touching Neo's. "I've spent years of my life on conquering this kingdom, one move after the next, very, very carefully, and I _never_ let myself be commanded by my _feelings_!"

She covered Neo's mouth with one hand, while the other was on her chest, carving a searing hole in it. The assassin's screams were muffled, but the hissing of the burning echoed in the throne room. Emerald stood aside, staring with fearful eyes.

A minute later, Neo stopped struggling, the life in her eyes fading quickly. Cinder let her fall to the ground, then beat her hands against her dress. "Apologies, Emerald. I lied," she said calmly. "I do allow myself to be commanded by my feelings, from time to time, as you just witnessed. I was very… _upset_. But I am only human, am I not?"

Emerald only nodded, not willing to risk drawing the witch's wrath to her.

"At least I now know the Schnne is with Ruby," Cinder shrugged, sitting back on her throne. "No doubt they're plotting to kill me. Who would have thought, even Belladonna is in on it."

"Do you want me to do something about it?" Emerald asked warily.

"No, you can rest and wait for my orders," the Regent smiled. "Ruby swore she would kill me. She sounded so sure of it, I must admit I _was_ terrified, for a time. But, now?"

She crossed one leg over the other and leaned back, comfortable as a queen.

"Let her come. Then we'll see who the real Reaper is."

* * *

 **Cocky Cinder is second best Cinder. (Dead Cinder is best Cinder, if you're wondering)  
**

 **This chapter had some blatant shipping in it. I tried to make it reasonable, but it's difficult to keep things in control when Ruby is involved. It's just so easy to make her romances all fluffly and stuff. And, well, Yang was involved too. So there's the lovely sister meddling too. I hope that part of the chapter didn't stick out badly compared to the general tone of the story.**

 **Fun fact: I was planning to end this chapter with the final reunion of the Team, but I'll leave that for the next one. I just thought Cinder's little scene set the tone for what's next much better. (yes, expect bloodshed)**

 **Fun fact 2: This was actually the first time I have ever killed Neo. I always kill Torchwick (and not because I hate him. I love him. I guess he's just an easy target for killing) and Neo just quietly fades into the background, unharmed. BUT NOT THIS TIME, YOU LITTLE MUTE PSYCHO!**

 **Anyways, see ya'll next chapter. Hopefully I won't be a pathetic slug about writing it again.**

 **\- Zeroan**


	22. Reunion

"I think we're close now," Yang said, her voice barely audible over the sound of the raging blizzard. "Just a couple more hours, maybe."

"Good," Weiss muttered under her breath. "One more day in this accursed weather and I would lose my mind."

"Don't worry, Snowflake," the blonde punched her playfully on the shoulder. "Soon you'll have a comfy bed and blankets to warm you up."

Weiss only leered at her for a moment, before quickening her pace so that she was ahead of the group. Yang saw a speck of red on the corner of her eye, and found her sister trailing right behind the queen, who didn't seem to have noticed.

"Still protecting her, huh?" Yang asked.

Ruby turned her head to look over her shoulder and offered her a shaky smile. Yang slowed down, a frown appearing on her forehead.

Ever since their reunion, Ruby had been acting strangely. At first, Yang had chalked it up to what she had gone through – being practically dead and finding out a witch had stolen her mother's body. But now Yang was beginning to see that wasn't the truth, or at least not the whole of it.

Ruby still wore her usual smiles, and her eyes still showed that innocent glee that had been hers since the day she had been born. She still laughed when talking with Weiss or Penny.

Yet that all faded away when she talked to her own sister.

"Ruby," Yang began, feeling like she was repeating an age-old question. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"No," Ruby tilted her head quizzically. "Why do you ask?"

"…No reason."

Ruby shrugged and caught up to Weiss. The queen looked back at Yang for a brief moment, then turned to the redhead and whispered something to her. Ruby clutched her cloak and looked away, clearly uncomfortable, then whispered something back.

Yang's gaze hardened, and though she didn't even command them so, her hands closed into fists. The heat she was emanating to drive off the blizzard intensified, turning the snow under her boots into puddles.

"Fine," she muttered bitterly. "Talk to your precious little princess, then."

* * *

Blake hummed under her breath as her fingers trailed several book's spines. Ozpin had mentioned a library in the hideout, but she had thought it would have been small. Oh, how wrong she had been.

From the first moment she had stepped inside the library, Blake had been enraptured by the quantity of bookshelves in front of her. But that wasn't all, as she soon found out there were all sorts of books there, from accounts of History to daring novels and even works from philosophers concerning social and scientific theories.

Suffice it to say, she hadn't left the library in days. Her worries about the length of Ruby and Weiss' absence retreated to the back of her mind. Her daggers went untouched for the longest time since she had acquired them.

One day, as she was about to finish _Predators and Prey: a Study on Grimm_ , General Ozpin entered the library too. He didn't seem surprised to find her there. In fact, he seemed almost pleased as he looked between her face and the book she held so close it almost touched the tip of her nose.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself, Lady Belladonna."

"I am, sir," Blake nodded. "You have a wonderful library."

"Oh, it's not mine. I don't have even the faintest idea who constructed this hideout," Ozpin smiled. "I also did not know you were such a sage."

"Ruby taught me how to read, and I took a liking to it," her eyes darted to her book. "Obviously."

"That's good. I believe the world would be a far less problematic place if people were willing to read and learn instead of resorting to arms at first instinct," Ozpin noted. "Think about that. You have yet to realize how valuable you are to Vale, Lady Belladonna."

He nodded to her and walked away, disappearing behind a bookshelf. Blake closed her book, marking the page she had stopped at with her finger, and pondered about what the general's words meant.

* * *

Nora grunted as she forced herself to take one last step, then broke into a smile as she looked at the horizon. With the group now standing on top of a big hill, they could see the silhouette of Vale in the distance. To the inventor's surprise, she felt her heart warm as she looked at the city.

"It's been a long time." Ren said, standing beside her.

"Too long," Nora agreed, her smile turning bitter. "For good reasons."

"We'll be fine," he assured. "You've never been easy to shake up. Why should that change now?"

"You're right," Nora snickered. "I'm the toughest orange-haired woman around!"

"That's the spirit. And if things go wrong, we'll-"

Ren cut himself short, feeling something strange nearby. He had always had a unique sense for bad energies, like a Grimm's or a particularly hostile person. But what he felt now could not compare to anything else he had come across in the past.

Looking around, his eyes passed over Ruby and Weiss, who did not seem to be sensing anything wrong, then soon fixed on Penny. The girl had a frown on her forehead as she looked at her feet. Was the ground shaking?

And behind Penny was Yang, who had been oddly withdrawn for the last few hours, her cloak drawn close to her body and fists clenched at her sides. Ren gasped in realization as he looked at her eyes, discovering a deep shade of red where violet should have been. He opened his mouth to shout, but before he could, the ground exploded beneath his feet.

Time seemed to slow down as Ren soared high, arms and legs flailing helplessly. His heart beat fast in his chest. Then, he closed his eyes, and all the noise around him faded away. His hands went to his waist with practiced grace and retrieved his twin pistols.

He opened his eyes and spun so as to face down again. A dozen or so giant snakes slithered on the ground below, snapping at his companions ferociously.

Ruby had already drawn her scythe and put Weiss behind her back, though the queen did not look too pleased by the arrangement. Nora was swinging with her hammer and bellowing madly, while Penny watched and cheered her on.

More than half of the snakes converged on Yang, but in spite of that, the blonde stood still, eyes blazing. Ren plummeted down and took aim at a snake's head, blowing it apart with a salvo of explosive bullets, courtesy of Nora.

That seemed to wake Yang up, as she shouted and leaped at the nearest Grimm, the air around her sparking into flames. Her fists cracked the creature's steel-like scales as if they were cheap wood. Flames whipped in all directions, forcing Ren to sprint away, or else he would get badly burned.

"Holy cheese and mackerels, she's gone mad!" Nora screamed.

"Xiao Long!" Weiss shouted. "Control yourself!"

Yang let out another roar and kicked down another snake, then pummeled it until it turned to smoke. The rest of the monsters paused, then burrowed back underground.

Ren closed his eyes and concentrated. "They're retreating."

"Well, yeah," Yang said. She blinked, and her eyes turned back to violet. "I scared the crap out of them." She cracked her knuckles and smiled.

"Don't act so smug about it!" Weiss chided. "We could have gotten killed."

"Besides," Ren added calmly. "You were the one who attracted the Grimm."

Everyone looked at him in shock before turning to Yang. The blonde crossed her arms and refused to make eye contact with anyone.

"Yang…" Ruby spoke meekly. "How?"

"I was just… upset we've been out here for so long," Yang said. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again," she huffed and walked past her sister and Weiss. "Let's get moving."

They hesitated for a moment before following her. Ren observed as Weiss leaned towards Ruby and whispered something in her ear, and ahead of them, Yang halted. Ren froze too, not sure what exactly to expect next, but knowing it would not be good.

But to his relief, Yang just shook her head and kept walking, leaving a trail of fiery footprints behind her.

* * *

Cinder's fingers tapped against the arms of her throne, producing a dull noise that did not go unheard by anyone in the room. It repeated itself, again and again and again, so quiet, yet somehow drawing more attention than the person who was actually speaking.

The man had been going on about his home for minutes now. Something about his home being destroyed, having to sleep in the streets. Ruthless bandits were the cause, he claimed, and that actually interested her a little. Not to the point of caring, though. What did it matter to her, who was heir of untold magics and one of the land's most ancient houses, if one nameless commoner had to endure the cold for a few weeks?

He stopped speaking, his mouth forming a rigid line. Clearly, he had taken notice of her apathy. Cinder put her hands on her lap and sat up straighter, her back touching the throne, and smiled. Once more, she came to the bitter realization that she _still_ couldn't afford the luxury of being herself. She was Summer Rose, defender of the poor and the helpless, suffering the burden of ruling while her true masters were sleeping or disappeared…

She should care.

"It is good you came to me. I understand, more than most, how difficult it can be to swallow your pride and ask for help from the most advantaged classes," Cinder said in a natural, kind tone of voice. "Rest assured, guards will be dispatched to bring those bandits in. They will not escape from our justice."

He stared at her in silence for a few seconds, no doubt expecting her to continue and provide him shelter somewhere safe and warm. But Cinder wasn't about to go that far. Eventually, the man just nodded and walked away, his eyes fixed on the tip of his boots.

Cinder sighed and leaned her elbow on the throne, resting her head on her hand. There were no more commoners wishing to speak to her about whatever woes they were dealing with, thankfully. If she had been forced to endure another hour of that, Cinder feared she would have dropped her disguise altogether and banished everyone else from the castle, years of preparation be damned.

Just as she was about to stand up, someone stopped beside the throne. Cinder hid her annoyance and turned to look. Glynda Goodwitch. The woman bothered her. Not because she was an actual threat, like Ozpin had been, but because she had a lot of will. No real power, but if she grew wise and started speaking her mind, others would follow, and _that_ was dangerous.

"Lady Goodwitch," Cinder said. "How may I help you?"

"There is an important matter I must speak to you about," Glynda replied seriously, casting a look at their surroundings. "Something meant only for your ears."

Cinder gestured to the guards standing closer to the throne, and they walked away, beyond range of hearing the two noblewomen. "Speak."

"This happened five days ago. The young prince Vasilias, of Atlas, came to me, claiming he had been in contact with the assassin Belladonna," Glynda said. "According to him, she is in league with Queen Weiss and Ozpin. They are hiding in the city and plan to retake the throne."

Cinder didn't have to fake her reaction to her words. Belladonna getting inside her castle without her noticing, making an ally just under her nose… That was enough to bring a frown to her forehead. But she suspected Glynda thought the cause of that was another part of her words.

"Retaking the throne? From who, me?" Cinder laughed lightly, just like Summer Rose would have. "That is plain madness from the prince. I am _holding_ the throne for the Queen; actively looking for her so she can rightfully sit on it."

"There was conviction in his words," Glynda pointed out. "And I doubt he could have come up with such a lie all on his own."

"He is from Atlas," Cinder said. "This could be a foreign ploy. Instill distrust in our court in this difficult time, then come marching at winter's end and conquer a divided Vale."

"I thought the same. That's why I waited before coming to you. I checked every contact I have to be certain of what we are dealing with," Goodwitch shook her head. "There is no indication of Atlas executing any such move. Mobilizing an army from there to here… It hardly would be discreet. So, in the absence of another explanation…"

"Vasilias' claim holds true," the Regent sighed. She looked up, locking eyes with Glynda, and drew upon her magic. "Or partly so. I doubt the Queen is leading a rebellion. Ozpin must be manipulating her. Obviously, he and Belladonna are friends. Always were."

Glynda was frozen for a moment, then she nodded hastily. Cinder held in her satisfaction as she witnessed the loyal noblewoman's thoughts change so they aligned with hers. It was always glorious, playing the most willful of people like pawns without them ever noticing it.

"We need to do something about this. Weiss must be going through hell as we speak," Cinder continued to work her magic, leaning closer to Glynda. Using the Schnee's name was just the icing on the cake, making it sound like she was truly worried about the girl. "But first we need to discover where they are hiding her."

"I can bring the prince to you," Glynda said immediately. "He must know."

"Or not. They might not trust them with that information yet," Cinder shook a finger at her. "No. Keep in touch with him. Pretend to be on the side of this horrible _rebellion_. I want daily reports from you."

"Understood," Glynda nodded. "I'll get to it right away." She walked away dutifully, her gaze hardened, as if she were about to face a horde of Grimm all on her own.

Cinder leaned back on the throne, her lips forming a little smile. She hadn't expected this turn of events, but she wasn't displeased by them. What at first had looked like a setback was actually a very welcomed development. A means of learning where the Schnee was holed up at _and_ of strengthening Goodwitch's loyalty to her at the same time...

Yes. Things were looking up for the Regent of Vale.

* * *

A red blur broke through the whiteness of the blizzard, racing up the frozen walls of the city of Vale. The form soared through the chilly air at a speed impossible to be comprehended by human eyes, displacing air with a popping noise that was concealed by loud weather.

With a dull impact, Ruby's feet touched solid ground again. She shook her head, ridding her hair of all the snow it had collected on the way up. Her hearing slowly came back to normal, adjusting from the sudden shifts of speed she had just gone through.

She kneeled on the top of the wall and looked down, just above the breach which was now months old. The only measure taken against further Grimm invasions were still the soldiers posted there, almost freezing to death and no doubt wishing they were anywhere else but there.

Ruby sighed. She knew Cinder was in charge of the city, and that she was evil, but she had at least hoped the witch would have made sure to protect it from the Grimm as strongly as possible. But it looked like she was content with what was already in place, minimalistic as it was. Weiss would do better once everything was over.

The redhead withdrew from her thoughts as she spotted Nora, Ren and Penny walking towards the breach. One soldier noticed them coming, and in a matter of seconds, all of them were moving around, much more alive than before, wondering how the hell these people – a child among them – had survived in the cold without any signs of sickness or injury.

When the trio stepped through the breach, the soldiers stopped them and began their questioning. Nora replied in a voice so loud, even Ruby could hear it. As was planned.

Ruby jumped down, traveling at high speed, and landed behind the soldiers. Then, she rushed to them, knocking two of them out with well-placed strikes on the back of their necks. Another one shouted in alarm, but she was already behind him, and he fell too. In a matter of seconds, before any of the guards could have fully realized what was happening, Ruby had them all out for the count.

"Wow," Nora whistled. "That was… amazing!"

"Very impressive." Ren agreed.

"Thank you," Ruby curtsied shortly. "Are Yang and Weiss coming?"

As if her words had summoned them, the pair appeared, walking out of the blizzard.

"Good work, Ruby," Weiss eyed the fallen soldiers. "They're still all we have here?"

"I was thinking about that too," Ruby said. "It's incredible the Grimm haven't been able to attack again."

"Who knows," the exiled queen sighed. "Maybe the witch has them under her thrall. It wouldn't surprise me."

She walked past the group and looked at the city in front of her, its dark alleys and crumbled buildings, and high above all else, the Castle Vale shining its shimmering lights in the sky.

"We're back, finally." She muttered under her breath.

"Yeah," Yang said. "I feel so welcome."

* * *

As she made her way back through the streets of Vale, Blake once again looked over her shoulder. She had done that so many times already throughout the night, she had lost count. Perhaps she was being overzealous, but it was better to take unnecessary precautions and feel foolish than be careless and bring an undesired someone back to the hideout – someone like Neopolitan or Emerald or, in the worst scenario, Cinder herself.

No one walked outside their homes at night anymore, but that didn't mean the streets were empty. It was just the contrary. The Guard's inspections were turning worse every day, and people were starting to revolt… to fight back, in the truest meaning of the word.

Homelessness and death followed. Families living in cold, humid corners. Thievery was becoming the norm. And bodies… too many bodies were showing up.

All that only made Blake walk faster. She did her best to ignore every pair of eyes that stared at her, but it was hard. It was as if they were accusing her of some unspeakable crime. Like they knew what she had done; that her hands were dirty with blood and were likely to get even dirtier.

Excruciating minutes passed, but eventually, she made it to the tower. Blake slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, taking deep breaths. It all felt so jarring. How could she ever feel so safe when there was such chaos and suffering outside?

She walked to a shelf and spun a ceramic vase halfway to the right, then all the way to the left. A portion of the floor opened, revealing the stairs to the hideout. She hurried down them, skipping steps along the way. Blake didn't know why, but she had a feeling she needed to get there as fast as possible.

Finally, she arrived at the door and opened it. Blake walked inside and breathed in relief. After a few seconds, she took notice of the odd silence in the room – the kind of silence that happened after a crowd of people stopped talking all at once.

She looked up, and met with half a dozen pair of eyes. An orange-haired girl beside a pink-eyed boy, with a kid near them. Ozpin stood in a corner, smiling. Ruby and Weiss were frozen mid-conversation, and just behind them, in silence, was Yang.

"…Hi." Was the only thing she thought to say.

"Blake!" Ruby yelled, and appeared before her in a blur, enveloping her in a hug.

Blake laughed lightly and patted her in the head, then put her back on her feet. "You're back," she said. "I waited _days_ for you here, and you have the audacity to show up the one time I'm away."

"Sorry," Ruby smiled coyly. "We didn't have anywhere else to go…"

Blake shook her head playfully, then looked at Yang. A few seconds passed as the blonde's face underwent a multitude of emotions – surprise, guilt, relief. Then, she crossed the room and hugged her with all her strength.

"Blake," she muttered near her ear. "I'm sorry I left."

"You don't have to apologize to me. I understand," Blake said. "I'm glad you're back."

"And I'm glad to see _you_!" Yang took a step back, looked her from head to toe, then punched her in the shoulder. "You look like a whole different person."

"What do you mean?" The faunus asked confusedly.

"I don't know," Yang frowned. "Maybe it's just me. Everyone looks changed. And that's not a bad thing, not necessarily."

Blake nodded. She understood the sentiment. Half a year ago, she didn't even know Ruby and Yang, but it felt like they had known each other for all their lives. And she could see the ways both sisters had changed.

"Are those…?" Blake nodded towards the three strangers.

"Nora!" The orange-haired girl screamed gleefully. "Crazy inventor! Nice to meet you. This is Ren! And this is Penny, our daughter – but not really because we're not together."

"So you're… divorced?" Blake asked.

"Divorced?" Nora raised an eyebrow at her. "What's that?"

"To put it simply, a divorce is when a couple nullify their marriage by means of government or religion," Blake explained. "It's never been an accepted practice in Vale, and Atlas and Mistral are strongly against it, too. It's common in Vacuo, though."

"…What." Ruby stared at her as if Blake had just turned into a being from another world.

"I've been reading lots of books." The faunus stated sheepishly.

"Well, that's not much of a change," Yang smiled. "I remember you were always reading back in the day. Ruby turned you into a devourer of books."

Ruby hit Yang in her arm, her cheeks red with embarrassment. Blake raised an eyebrow at that, but before she could make a comment, someone drew her attention by clearing their throat. Weiss stared at her fixedly, gesturing for her to come closer.

Reluctantly, Blake walked towards her, ears pressed to her head and fists close to her sides. She didn't know what to expect from Weiss, but past experiences did not give her hope for something good. The queen definitely wasn't about to welcome her back with a hug.

"Blake," Weiss said stiffly. "Did you have a chance to do what I asked? Is… How is Winter?"

"Oh," Blake looked down, now feeling guilty over her previous feelings. She should have known this was what Weiss wanted to talk about. "I saw her when I snuck into the castle to contact Neptune. She was… sleeping."

"Well, yes," Weiss shook her head, flustered. "But how did she look?"

"They must be feeding her, because she looked healthy," the faunus said, fishing for something to say that wouldn't sound cold or hopeless. "She looked… peaceful."

"That's good," the queen nodded. "Thank you, Blake. I'm… happy you're back."

She extended a hand. Hesitantly, Blake shook it, still not looking directly at her. Maybe Weiss wasn't as bad as she thought, but the history they shared was not an easy one to move past.

"There's another favor I need to ask you," Weiss said. "Though it's not for me. Not really. And you would have done it sooner or later, once you noticed…" She sighed. "When we got to Nora's house, Yang was out in the blizzard, releasing her rage or some such nonsense. I was the one who brought her back and filled her in on all that had happened… except the part where she is not Ruby's sister. I thought Ruby should have done that."

"That was thoughtful," Blake looked back at Ruby and Yang. Now, she began to realize something was… off. It was as if Ruby was actively looking away from Yang, and the latter looked… devastated. The exact opposite of what Blake expected after their reunion. "Ruby hasn't told her."

"Yes. She's afraid it will ruin their relationship. What she _doesn't_ realize is that dragging out this lie will only make matters worse. The damage might very well be irreparable," Weiss said. "And it goes even further than that. Yang has noticed something is wrong, and she's upset. Upset enough to draw a horde of Grimm on us. If she loses control…"

"I've seen it." Blake stated. She remembered the night of the breach. Yang had been a force to be reckoned with, if not feared. It wasn't something Blake wanted to see again.

"Then you realize it's important for everyone that Ruby talks soon. If push comes to shove, I will do it, but that will be much more painful," Weiss locked eyes with her. "Ruby is stubborn. I tried to reason with her, but she refuses to budge. But you two are close; perhaps you can talk some sense into her."

"I'll try." Blake said seriously.

Weiss nodded. "I am going to rest now," she turned around and started to walk away, but stopped in her tracks. "Blake?"

The faunus looked at the queen, curious as to what she had to say. Another favor.

"I saw what my city has turned into," Weiss looked over her shoulder at her, blue eyes filled with sadness. "I'm going to fix it."

Blake stared at her for a moment before speaking. "Will you, really?"

Weiss turned around. "No. Actually," her eyes sparked with determination. " _We_ are going to fix it."

* * *

 **Yeah, you go, girl! Tell that faunus how it is going to be.  
**

 **Anyway. I was actually planning on dropping the sister-bomb this chapter, but it didn't feel right... Which doesn't make much sense to me, because I kind of loathe when stories drag this kind of family crap on and on and on... I don't think it's that compelling of a thing to read, which is why I don't do it very often. Secrets and all that... bleh. But there's cool things to derive from it here, like Yang's relationship with Cinder and... other spoilery things...**

 **The rebellion hype train should start next chapter. Choo choo!**

 **-Zeroan**


	23. Disease

In a secluded courtyard in Vale, located behind a building that, before the walls had been breached by the Grimm, had once been the home to a harmless family, the sound of steel clashing against wood rang again, and again, and again. Splinters soared through the air, breaking off a dummy worn-out by the passage of time and continuous usage.

Jaune was drenched in sweat, his uniform sticking to his skin disgustingly. His vision wavered, sometimes causing him to see double, and his forehead stung like hell. But he kept swinging, jumping in all directions, imagining flames and bullets raining towards him relentlessly.

Every once in a while, he would stop and listen. Whispers, exotic and menacing, like the crackling of fire. Dark omens. Promises of finishing what had already been started. Then he would realize it was just his mind playing tricks on him and begin all over again.

When his arms got too sore from using his sword, he took out his pistol. Well, it wasn't _his_ pistol. When he had joined the Guard, Lord Ozpin had forbidden him from using any kind of firearm, stating that it would be a great danger to not only himself, but everyone around him. Jaune had been more than happy to agree.

But things had changed. Ruby had died and come back. The queen, Yang, and Blake wielded unworldly magic that was way beyond his comprehension. Sitting on the throne was a witch, and not the kind from fairytales that turned people into frogs and tried to bake children into cakes.

No. Cinder Fall was the kind of witch who could turn the most wonderful of people into murderers with mere words; who slowly drained the life away from the noblest warriors and smiled all the way through it.

So, yes, he was willing to risk an unfortunate explosion or two if it meant him standing a chance against that kind of power. Perhaps it was futile, but he would feel much safer shooting a bullet from afar than trying to attack at close range.

He aimed carefully at his target, the center of the dummy's forehead. He imagined the trajectory the bullet would take; how the wood would explode once it impacted. The tip of his tongue escaped the corner of his mouth, his eyes narrowed in concentration…

 _Boom_. And he hit the wall behind the dummy, missing his target by far. Frustrated, he raised his pistol above his head and prepared to throw it on the ground.

"Hey!" A familiar voice called from above. He raised his head to look and found Ruby sat on the edge of a nearby rooftop, her legs swinging leisurely as she stared at him. "Don't do that. We don't have a lot of firearms to spare, you know…"

"Ruby! Uhm, how long have you been watching me?" He asked, recalling every mistake he had made during his training. It had felt intense, but he must have looked like a blundering fool to a trained eye.

"Not long. I was actually looking around the city – Weiss' orders – when I saw you down here," she explained. "Nice swordsmanship, by the way."

"Really?" Jaune eyed her suspiciously. "You're only saying that to make me feel competent, aren't you?"

"No, really! You've gotten much better!" Ruby shook her head fervently, then paused briefly in contemplation. "Well, that's not saying much – but really! I'd say you're almost as good as I am."

"Hmm. I'm a crappy shot, though."

Evidently, Ruby had no way of refuting that statement, as she only shrugged and dropped down to the ground. Curiously, her landing made almost no impact, as if she was weightless. A couple of leaves crunched quietly; some dirt raised a few centimeters off the ground.

"You know," Jaune said. "You are a little bit too creepy nowadays."

"Yeah," Ruby smiled. "I get that a lot. Anyway, want some help? Ozpin taught me how to shoot a gun."

Jaune considered the offer for a moment. Maybe if he was someone else, he would find the very idea of being taught by Ruby insulting. She was small, adorable and innocent-looking. But he had known her for more than half his life now. When they first met, he had recognized how capable she truly was, and recent times only strengthened that belief.

He nodded, and she went on to teach him the basics of shooting a gun. Jaune thought he knew those, but apparently his memory was hazy at best. Apparently, he was _not_ supposed to pull the trigger with two of his fingers at once… That probably explained why his aiming was always so shaky.

Ruby also showed him the right postures for when he was standing still, when he was running, riding an animal or Grimm, and even jumping… Then proceeded to tell him he really shouldn't rely on those and to just trust his instincts. He was annoyed, to say the least.

As their little session went on, Jaune couldn't help but notice Ruby was acting… strangely. She seemed _too_ focused on him almost, as if she didn't want to think about anything else. When he went on to actually shoot and she moved a safe distance away, he noticed her staring blankly, her thoughts obviously somewhere else.

He dismissed the matter, thinking he was probably seeing things where there was nothing. Besides, if Ruby was worried about something, it didn't mean it was his business, or anyone else's, for that matter. She had gone places no one else had ever been before – who knew where her mind wandered these days?

His attitude changed quickly when he finally landed a shot squarely on the dummy. The sound of wood flying everywhere filled the courtyard, and he yelled victoriously, but Ruby did not react. Her gaze was fixed on the wall opposite her, her fists clenched at her sides.

"Ruby?" Jaune called worriedly. "Are you still here?"

"Huh?" She blinked and looked around, only then noticing the damage he had done. "Hey, you did it! Congratulations, Jaune!"

" _Ruby_ ," he crossed his arms. "What's wrong? And don't even try to lie. I know something's eating you up."

She joined her hands behind her back and looked around guiltily. "Uhm… Remember when I said Weiss ordered me to look around the city? Well, I lied," Ruby frowned. "I just needed some time to think. And, uh, spending time with you is pretty relaxing, I guess. Sorry."

"It's fine, I was just worried," Jaune shrugged. "What were you thinking about?"

Ruby scratched her head and looked away, this time looking _truly_ uncomfortable. Jaune raised his hands amiably.

"Hey, you don't need to talk about it if you don't want to." He assured.

"Thank you," Ruby sighed. "Sorry. It's just complicated. Very complicated. And not only one thing. Or two. Yeah."

"Well, let me at least give you a tip, then," Jaune assumed a very serious expression, something he didn't do very often. "Don't stall. Deal with whatever's bothering you before it's too late. Alright?"

Ruby nodded mutely, her eyes peering him from head to toe.

"Jaune…" She said. "Are you doing this to avenge Pyrrha?"

He stopped for a moment, then raised his pistol again and took aim. "Yes. I don't know how she would really feel about it, but… I like to think she'd appreciate me just trying."

Jaune looked at Ruby and examined her troubled expression. He could picture the cogs turning inside her head, the doubt and fear that she must be feeling. Like everyone else – like himself, in fact – she thought him facing Cinder was bound to end badly; that he stood no chance at all.

But then she smiled and said something he never could have predicted. "Alright. I believe in you, Jaune," she turned away. "I should head back. Pass by the hideout sometime. Weiss would like to see you."

He broke off his daze to stare incredulously at her.

"I'm being serious!" Ruby giggled. "Weiss is not as cold as she seems."

"Heh," Jaune shook his head in wonder. "If you say so. Good night, Ruby."

She jumped to a rooftop and ran away, disappearing from his line of vision. Jaune smiled and turned back to the damaged dummy, taking aim one more time.

* * *

"And so I'm thinking that maybe, just _maybe_ , we could bathe our bullets in my special concoction!" Nora declared. She stood at the end of a table, taking her turn to talk before the strategy group that had gathered for the day – Weiss, Blake, Ozpin, and Yang. She had a wide smile on her face, which disturbed most of the ones listening to her.

"Alright, Miss Valkyrie," Ozpin said, the only one able to maintain a calm expression upon hearing her speaking. "And what does this… special concoction, do?"

"It blows stuff up!" Nora yelled joyfully.

Weiss' eyes widened in horror. Blake slapped her own forehead. Yang broke into laughter.

"Hmm," Ozpin cleared his throat politely. "And _what_ would we be blowing up, exactly, Miss Valkyrie?"

"Not _people_ , of course!" Nora snorted.

"Oh, that's a relief." Weiss muttered.

"We could blow holes in the castle's walls to make an invasion easier!" Nora suggested. "Or if things get too hairy when we're inside, we aim at the ceiling to break up the fight! And if Grimm somehow attack us, explosions are always nice!" She paused, then added under her breath. "And as a bonus, it provides a nice last-resort suicide option."

Blake looked around in disbelief, but everyone was actually nodding in approval. Apparently, only she had heard that last suggestion.

"That's actually very sensible," Weiss said. "Can you make enough of your concoction to bathe all your ammunition in?"

"Oh, I have some on me already. I _always_ have some on me," Nora said, which only made Blake more alarmed. "But it takes a long time to make, and I have a limited supply of ingredients to work with. If it were summer, I could go out to gather more, but alas…"

"Then the most advantageous application of what you do have is with our larger weapons," Ozpin said. "We probably don't want everyone running around with explosive bullets on their sidearms, anyway."

"I'll get to work!" Nora shouted at the top of her lungs, then ran away, presumably to the makeshift laboratory she had built in her room.

The group took a moment to recover from the loud girl's presentation. Blake considered bringing up the possibility that maybe, just _maybe_ , Nora was a little suicidal, but she worried that might not elicit a good reaction from her allies.

As Ozpin started their next point of discussion, Ruby entered the hideout and stopped briefly, her eyes passing over them. They stopped briefly at Yang, and Blake noticed her freeze up, as if she had been meaning to say something but was quickly changing her mind.

"It's important that we establish how trustworthy Prince Neptune is," Ozpin said. "Blake, next time you contact him, make sure-"

"Excuse me," Blake got up. "I need a moment with Ruby, if you don't mind."

"As you wish." Ozpin nodded. If he was curious, he didn't show it.

Weiss smiled appreciatively to her, while Yang stared in confusion. Blake wrapped a hand around Ruby's arm and walked away, bringing her to her room and closing the door behind them.

Blake turned and found Ruby staring at her anxiously. When the redhead noticed she was looking at her, her eyes started to dart to everywhere else in the room, as if she was devising a way to escape.

"Ruby," Blake said. "We need to talk."

That only seemed to make Ruby more nervous. "W-what about?" She gulped.

"Relax. What do you think I'm going to do, hurt you?" Blake smiled kindly. "It's about Yang."

Ruby seemed to relax for a brief moment, only to start fidgeting even more the next second. "A-alright! I know what you're going to say! You want me to tell her we're not real sisters," Ruby crossed her shaking arms. "And I will. I just need time, alright?"

"I understand, but it's not right," Blake shook her head. "You've had more than enough time to come to terms with the fact. You still see her as your sister, and that's fine! But Yang knows something's wrong, and even worse, she knows you're keeping it from her," she took a deep breath. "If you take too long, you're going to be sorry. We're _all_ going to be sorry."

Ruby stopped shaking. Blake sighed in relief, thinking she had calmed down somewhat. Before she could see it coming, though, Ruby hugged her and buried her head on her shoulder.

"I don't want to do it."

"You need to," Blake said slowly. Her resolve was waning – the longer she talked to Ruby, the harder it was to be stern to her. "I can be there with you, if you want."

"…No," Ruby took a step back and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I'll do it soon, I swear. If I don't… you have permission to take Crescent Rose and hide it until I do."

"Well, that would hardly help our cause. I'll come up with something better," Blake smiled. "I'm proud of you. Now, I need to get back. They're expecting me."

She turned to leave, but Ruby caught her arm, stopping her. Blake looked over her shoulder at her, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Uhm…" Ruby said quietly. "I, uh… Can you stay?"

"Why?" Blake asked reluctantly. Her first instinct was to agree, but she had important matters to attend to.

"I don't know," the lithe bodyguard shrugged and smiled. "I just wanna spend time with you. It's been too long."

Blake closed her eyes. For everything she had gone through – slavery, slander, near-death – saying no to Ruby felt like the hardest obstacle she had ever faced. The fact that her heart was beating so quickly, with Ruby none the wiser to it, only made it more difficult.

"I can stay," Blake said. "But only for ten minutes!"

Ruby yelled happily and sat down on the edge of her bed. Blake pulled a chair in front of her and sat too. She looked up, straight into two silver eyes.

At that moment, she knew she would be staying for much more than only ten minutes.

* * *

Cinder entered her quarters with heavy steps. Her eyes were red like fire, betraying her disguise, but she was finally alone – or alone enough, at least, that she could feel comfortable not hiding her true identity. She shot a glance to her balcony, knowing exactly who was waiting there, but decided to wait before bothering herself with them. No one brought her good news, these days.

She removed her cape and tossed it carelessly on her bed, not in the least worried about damaging it. It wasn't hers, truly, after all. She thought about removing her sword from her belt too, but ultimately decided not to. With her magic, she had hardly any use for it, but it did give her a stronger presence.

If there was one good thing that came from Ruby Rose's infuriating awakening, it was her absconding with that damned scythe. Cinder had always had a tough time wielding it, and she had no desire to master it. It was a clumsy instrument which no one but the most desperate of warriors would choose, more fit to cut up Grimm than anything else, and even then it wasn't that effective. The girl could have her mother's keepsake, for the little time she had left to relish it.

Cinder sat on the end of her bed and pretended to yawn, lifting her head while covering her mouth with her hand. The movement made the skin of her neck all the more visible, and her arched back highlighted all her important features. Her lips curved into a smirk as she glanced at the balcony from the corner of her eyes.

Magic was a powerful tool when attempting to get someone under your hold, but Cinder wasn't foolish enough to rely entirely on it. She knew how effective the more mundane methods were. Intimidation, blackmail, lying, seduction… Those were what had gotten her to where she was now; magic had only been the unbreakable backbone behind them… aside from when she had to deal with some more _annoying_ problems, like a pesky foreigner meddling where she didn't belong or a royal brat who was too prideful to give in to her charms.

" _Emerald_ ," she called finally. She had no real affection for the girl, but even she had to admit manipulating her like this was too cruel after how helpful she had been over the years. "You can't _stare_ forever."

She heard a soft gasp, then Emerald stepped out of the shadows and into the room, staring at her own feet with reddened cheeks. It was almost adorable, in a way.

"Something to report?" Cinder asked. "I hope so, or else… Well, I could only assume you came here to snoop on me, and as flattering as that is, it's also very _disrespectful_."

Emerald nodded shakily, clearly understanding the threat in her words. "Mercury did as you asked and checked on the White Fang. As you thought, Roman wasn't thrown at the castle's door just to annoy you. Taurus made it very clear our alliance is over. Mercury barely made it out alive."

"Ah. As predicted," Cinder looked up at the ceiling. "The fool got restless, or perhaps he finally realized the truth. More than ten years, acting like such a useful pawn, salivating for a piece of the throne I never intended to share…"

She tried to smile, but it was a futile effort. The fact that she had been in control of their arrangement all along was not enough to quell her rage. She wouldn't have a false enemy to act as a target anymore, to elevate her standing and divert the court's eyes away from her.

Now she had an actual enemy – or another one, to be more precise. The White Fang would be killing her puppets left and right, and all the while, hidden somewhere under her very nose, the runaway Schnee was plotting her revenge.

"Lady Rose?" Emerald called quietly.

"Yes, Emerald?" Cinder looked at her sharply. "Do you have something more to say?"

"I was wondering…" Emerald gulped. "Perhaps it's time we reconsider our options. Now that the White Fang turned on us, it's only a matter of time before everyone realizes…"

She stopped speaking when she noticed how intensely Cinder was staring at her.

"Emerald," the witch spoke slowly, savoring every syllable. "Unsheathe your dagger and bring it to your throat."

Cinder saw the girl's nerves bulging in her hand as she tried to fight the order, but the resistance was fruitless. In a matter of seconds, the tip of her dagger was touching her throat, threatening to draw blood.

"Now, answer me, and answer me truthfully," Cinder leaned forward. "Do you not believe I have this situation under control?"

"Y-yes." Emerald squeaked immediately, then closed her eyes forcefully.

"I see. Do you also not believe I can regain control?"

"N-no! No!"

"Ah. Good, good. Then there is the answer to whatever foolish doubts you were having," Cinder waved. "Leave, and only come back when I call for you. And give Mercury a kiss for me, will you?"

Emerald dropped her dagger and marched out of the room, hastily conjuring an illusion so the guards in the hallway wouldn't recognize her.

Cinder was motionless for a moment, her chest rising up and down as she tried to maintain her calm. Her sight fell on the dagger on the ground; the blade was so clean, she could see the reflection of her eyes staring back at her.

Silver, so innocent and… accusing.

She jumped to her feet and picked up the dagger, then raced to the balcony and tossed it away, flames jumping off her fingers in furious sparks. It took all her restraint to not jump off the ledge to find the first victim to a very unfortunate burning.

* * *

"Blake?"

Weiss poked her head inside the faunus' room, but it was empty. Troubled, the exiled queen stepped back and walked back to the entrance chamber of the hideout. There was only one person there at the moment.

Yang was sitting cross-legged on top of a table, wrapping her left arm with a roll of bandages. She looked restless. Her whole posture spoke of someone with far too much energy, yet with nothing to spend it on. It was hard to catch a glimpse of her eyes behind her blond bangs, but their color was somewhere between violet and red – falling closer towards the latter.

"Yang," Weiss approached her warily. "What happened?"

"Huh?" Yang looked up, seemingly surprised by her appearance. A moment later, she recovered, giving a cocky grin she always reserved for the queen. "Nothing big, Snowflake. I was training – you royals do that sometimes, right? – and I let myself get carried away and injured my arm."

"I see. Be more careful next time. It would be unfortunate if the need for you to fight arose, yet you couldn't do anything because of a reckless injury," Weiss said sharply. "And, for your information, _us royals_ do train. A lot. Have you never seen me using my rapier?"

"Oh, sorry," the blond feigned remorse by covering her mouth with her hands. "I thought you were flailing it around! My, you must be a true master."

Weiss glared at her momentarily, then shook her head, not letting herself be distracted by the meaningless taunting. "Have you seen Blake?"

"No," Yang replied immediately. "What do you need her for?"

Weiss raised an eyebrow at her. That protective tone of voice would have been admirable, if it weren't so unnecessary.

"I am going to stab her through the chest and dump her in a dark alleyway," the queen said dryly. "If you must know, I need someone to accompany me into the city. Of course, I have my magic and my sword at my disposal, but, as they say… Better safe than sorry."

"Ruby's your bodyguard, loathe as I am to say it," Yang pointed out. "Why not ask her?"

"Your sister has other matters to attend to today."

At that moment, Blake entered the room, carrying an unfamiliar book on her hands. She looked up from it and saw the odd pair of Weiss and Yang, and rolled her eyes.

"What was that for?" Yang asked humorously.

"You two are probably in the middle of a bickering contest, as always," Blake explained. "Am I wrong?"

Weiss glanced at Yang briefly, then turned her eyes back to Blake, choosing not to give any of them the satisfaction of an answer – Blake would be amused, which was fine, but Yang would learn she had truly gotten on her senses, and Weiss couldn't have that.

"I was just looking for you, Blake. There's a favor I need to ask of you," Weiss said. "Well, it's not exactly a favor, as I'm sure you're very… _invested_ , in the matter."

Blake examined her critically, then nodded her go-ahead.

"I am heading out today, to the town square. On my way, I intend to learn exactly what my people have gone through during Cinder's rule," Weiss raised her chin determinedly. "And then, I will reveal myself in front of them and issue a challenge to her and the White Fang – or, more precisely, Adam Taurus."

"What?" The faunus' eyes widened a bit. "But that's _extremely_ risky! Exposing yourself like that… It opens up so much room for error."

"Yes, that was discussed at length yesterday, over the course of the meeting _you missed purposefully_ ," Weiss clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Ozpin expressed the same fear as you, but he couldn't dissuade me. I'm the rightful heir to the throne, for starters, and I will not abide another day of sneaking in the shadows like rats while the woman who all but murdered my sister sits on it. It's time we fought her on the light of day."

Blake shook her head slowly, then looked at Yang. "What do you think of this?"

"Believe it or not, I agree with her," Yang shrugged. "Maybe it's smarter to take things slow, but it doesn't feel right. Besides, I didn't join this rebellion just to enjoy Snowflake's company – I want to punch some evil thugs, please."

Weiss gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to yell for Yang to stop calling her by that stupid nickname.

"I suppose there's some merit to what you're proposing. It's a symbolic victory, if anything," Blake sighed. "Fine. I'll go with you. But if all hell breaks loose, remember I'm just one person… and I won't fight innocent townsfolk."

"I would sooner surrender than ask you to do that. Shall we go?"

Blake put her book down on the table beside Yang, then nodded and walked towards the exit. Weiss hung around for a moment, her royal training dictating she should deliver some sort of farewell to Yang, yet she did not feel very inclined to do it.

"Good luck, Weiss," Yang said easily, then seemed to catch herself. " _Snowflake_."

Weiss smiled lightly. "Thank you, Yang. Good luck to you too."

* * *

Ruby stepped back and forth in front of Yang's room's door, taking deep breaths as her hands fumbled with the edges of her cloak. She had been like this – lightheaded and sweating buckets – for hours now, as she gathered the courage to talk to Yang, but now that she was about to finally do it, she had gotten even worse.

Maybe she should leave and ask someone to check if she was well. It would be disastrous, after all, if she fell ill during their daring rebellion! It would be for the good of the kingdom. Surely, Blake and Weiss would understand and agree to that reasoning. And then they would tell Yang everything, and she would get no blame for keeping that secret because she was ill, after all, and who could blame a…

"Ruby?" Suddenly, Yang was leaning on the doorway, arms crossed as she stared at her worriedly. "Everything okay? You've been doing that for minutes, now."

Ruby immediately stopped pacing and spun around to face her. "Yep! I'm fine! Fine as a… as a fine person!" She laughed nervously. "Uhm… L-let's talk…?"

Yang frowned, then gestured for her to step inside. Ruby did so, distracting herself momentarily by examining the room. It wasn't decorated at all – not that anyone, even Weiss, had had anything to decorate their rooms with. As safe as they all felt here, the hideout wasn't a home by any means.

"So," the blonde said behind her, and Ruby jumped onto her bed in a frightened reaction. "I suppose now you're going to finally tell me that secret that's been eating you up ever since we reunited at Nora's house?"

"Uh…" Ruby made a poor attempt of appearing innocent, dragging one foot on the ground while looking up at the ceiling. "I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Ruby, please. Don't insult me," Yang smiled humorlessly. "I've been pretty much your mother for half our lives, I can tell when you're telling a lie. I can also tell when you're doing it for good reasons, so… don't be afraid. I won't be mad, I promise," her lips trembled a bit. "Please? I just want to know if I can help you."

Ruby stared helplessly at her, feeling as if an invisible hand had just wrapped its fingers around her heart and squeezed. Suddenly, she understood how selfishly she had been acting by keeping Yang in the dark for so long.

Yang had a way about her. She liked to act tough; she prided herself in doing that. It was a result of having to grow up mostly alone, raising a sister in a city where one night without shelter meant either dying from exposure to the merciless weather or being robbed blind or killed. She didn't stand up to Weiss and the likes of her just because of the difference in their upbringings – it was a natural reaction for her, to protect herself and her little sister.

And yet… when it came to Ruby, she acted like the sweetest person in the world. There wasn't a wrong thing for Ruby to do that couldn't be forgiven… And how had Ruby repaid her?

"I'm sorry," the redhead blurted out suddenly, her eyes brimming with tears. "I should have told you. I-I'm so sorry."

"Ruby…" Yang chuckled and sat beside her on the bed, running a hand over Ruby's hair. "You can tell me now. I already said I won't be mad. What more do you need?"

"A-alright," Ruby raised her hand, took one last deep breath, then began her explanation. "Alright, so when Cinder cursed me to sleep and I met your mother, there was some stuff… A _lot_ of stuff… I didn't mention…"

* * *

How did things get this bad?

That was the question that echoed continuously inside Weiss' head as she walked through the streets of Vale. Her own city, desolate, in the brink of collapse. Every corner she looked, there was a new wrong to find.

Bodies gathered in heaps, built up over days, or hanging by ropes, like warning signs.

Children so thin, they resembled stick drawings, begging for food with their eyes.

The very air, ripe with dark qualities, as if this was the territory of Grimm, and not one of the most glorious cities in the world.

Weiss felt sick to her core. Not only because of what she was seeing, but also because of what all those horrible sights told her. Yes, Cinder was a witch, a murderer, an insult to every living thing in Remnant. But there was only so much evil one person could cause.

"This was always like this, wasn't it?" Weiss muttered.

Blake had been walking closely behind her, but she leaned over her shoulder to speak. "I wouldn't know," she said morosely. "Remember how I spent all but the last months of my life?"

"Ah," Weiss felt another wave of self-loathing hit her in full force. "I guess that was as good an answer as any."

"Do you want to go back?"

Weiss, trained her whole life for the subtleties of social gatherings and dealings, immediately understood every layer in that question, even the ones Blake hadn't consciously meant to be there.

On one hand, the faunus was being sympathetic. Weiss was disturbed, to say the least, by their surroundings. Blake was offering her a way out before things got even worse.

On that same note, there was the fear Blake herself was feeling, of what came next after this. Standing out. Exposing themselves to not only Cinder Fall and Adam Taurus, but the people of Vale. Of those three, the last one was probably the most courageous one.

And, of course, the most hidden of those layers. The challenge. The proposition that taunted her into retreating; into proving that, after all, Weiss was only speaking empty words. That she didn't deserve the throne she was supposedly fighting so hard to reclaim.

"No," Weiss replied firmly. "We keep going forward, no matter what. Understood?"

Blake nodded, and for a moment, Weiss saw her eyes fill with pride as they walked together. Not that Blake hadn't carried herself similarly before in her presence, but it had always been difficult. Like she had had to force herself to not be antagonistic.

It hit Weiss, then, that her situation was no different. She was glad to have Blake by her side. She respected her, even. She wasn't just a last-minute replacement for Ruby, but a real ally Weiss could count on.

The time would come for their disagreements to come to the surface. Weiss was sure Blake had a thousand and one things to demand of her once their rebellion was over. And, maybe… Maybe that was good. What good had her family done to the city by ignoring – no, _demonizing_ the faunus?

They stepped out into the town square. Even in such dark times, it was still as bustling with life as Weiss remembered it had been the first time she visited it. Although… the Guard spread around the place stood a lot more menacingly, and the people were going out of their way to avoid them – more than they usually did, anyway.

"You see what I see?" Blake whispered in her ear.

"The soldiers?" Weiss frowned. "Yes. Perhaps it's just my new perspective on things, but they look a lot more menacing than they should. They're almost… sinister, I'd dare say."

"Cinder's witchery, no doubt," the faunus' voice was filled with contempt. "Now that she's on the throne, she's grown bold and spread her influence even further. The whole Guard might be under her thumb."

"Bloody Moon. I'd hoped to be able to talk to them, perhaps show them who they should really stand with, but if your theory is true…" Weiss grunted in frustration.

Her eyes scanned the rest of the square. In the very middle of it was the fountain, though it was dry, not a single drop of water in it. It would have probably frozen anyway, Weiss reasoned.

Perhaps… That was where she should speak. It wasn't an optimal location, but it was the only position where everyone would be able to see her. But it would leave her open to attack from all directions.

"I'll speak there," Weiss gestured discreetly towards the fountain. "Blake. As you put it, this will be incredibly risky. You are free to turn back."

"And what kind of bodyguard would I be if I did that?" Blake raised an eyebrow dubiously.

"Ah, I see. Aiming to steal Ruby's job?" Weiss smiled.

"Never. I know both our terms as your bodyguard ended very badly, but at least she didn't try to murder you." Blake pointed out.

"Then I appoint you as her bodyguard," the royal chuckled. "I joke, of course. Unless you want that."

Blake rolled her eyes and stepped past her, opening a path to the fountain through the crowd.

* * *

Minutes of silence passed when Ruby finished talking; a heavy, foreboding silence, which she could almost feel crushing her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Yang stared first at her, then down at her lap, her hands crossed on top of her knees, thinking deeply. Finally, she shook her head and sighed.

"So, basically," she said. "We're not sisters. My actual father was a psycho which more or less raped my mother. _And_ there's the distinct possibility that Cinder Fall is related to me, somehow."

"…Yeah," Ruby barely managed to say. "That's it."

"Alright," Yang looked at her. "So, nothing changes, except I have a lot more motivation to kill that manipulating bitch."

"W-what?" Ruby asked, not comprehending the response. "B-but…!"

"Ruby, do you honestly believe us being related by blood matters? We're sisters. What everyone else thinks be damned," she shrugged. "Sure, I'm a little sad, I admit. But what matters is how we see each other, right? And you've always been my little sister."

Ruby's eyes welled up with tears, and this time, she couldn't stop them from flowing down her face. Yang smiled and wiped them away gently, then closed her fists in determination, her eyes burning a deep red.

"Everything makes sense now. When we didn't know she wasn't really your mother, Cinder tried convincing me several times to train with her, so I could learn how to control my powers," she said. "She must have felt some kind of twisted kinship to me. Probably still does. Well, I'm gonna make her regret toying with our emotions like that!"

"Well, I already made a promise like that to her," Ruby smiled shakily. "But I can give you a round with her too."

"Of course. It's all up to you."

Ruby nodded. She felt so much better now, as if a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders. And looking at Yang now, things really did not feel any worse… if anything, she felt an even stronger bond to her sister, if that was even possible!

Yes. Her _sister_.

"Hey, wanna grab a bite to eat?" She asked, getting up from the bed. "All that talking left me famished."

"Ruby, everything leaves you famished," Yang reminded knowingly. "But, sure. I could use some food myself."

They left the room and started their way to the back of the hideout, where they were keeping all the food supplies, but halfway there, Ozpin crossed their path. A frown marked his forehead, and his mind didn't seem to be entirely where he was.

"Sir Ozpin?" Ruby called hesitantly. "Is something troubling you?"

"Have you seen Weiss, by any chance?" He asked. "We were supposed to meet again today, to discuss matters concerning the breach."

"Ah. I'm afraid she already left, sir," Yang said, sounding a little guilty, though her eyes told a different story. "To issue a challenge to Cinder and the White Fang."

Ozpin was so rattled by her words, he almost dropped his cane. "But we came to an agreement… I couldn't get her to back down, so we compromised. Wait a week, during which we would plan that move carefully…"

"Yeah, I was there for that. I guess the queen is a little more daring than we have her credit for," Yang chuckled. "If it's any comfort, Blake went with her."

"That is not nearly enough protection," Ozpin said. "Ruby, will you-"

The redhead had already vanished. A few seconds later, she reappeared, her scythe now behind her back. "Yes, sir," she turned around. "Coming, Yang?"

"You really care about her, don't you?" The blonde muttered, a little impressed by the impossibly fast preparation her sister had done. "Sure. I'm right behind you. But don't let me slow you down.

* * *

"Sir."

Adam Taurus looked up from his latest handiwork. One of his underlings, a rabbit faunus he didn't quite remember the name of, was standing a few paces from him, shaking in anticipation.

"Calm yourself," he said, sheathing his blade temporarily. "Then talk."

The underling took a quick breath. "Well, sir, our scouts at the town plaza sent word. A girl has been spotted there – she resembles the runaway queen," he gulped. "Apparently, she's giving some kind of speech. What should we do?"

"She's right out in the open?" Adam mused. "There's a very simple approach. Assassinate her. I don't care what you have to do. Deploy every White Fang member nearby; take them out of their posts, if necessary. This is too good an opportunity to pass up."

"Yes, sir!" The rabbit faunus ran away.

Adam smiled, his eyes falling back to the Vale Castle guardsman his people had abducted the following night. He was already barely conscious, dozens upon dozens of open injuries spanning his body.

"Today's your lucky day… Well, not really. But it's not as bad as it could have been," he crouched down beside the guard. "You've already given me a lot of information. Your witch mistress' influence comes with some benefits. Higher endurance; abnormal strength. Very annoying, but we can break through all that, with enough effort," Adam nodded. "I'm in a good mood, now. Rest well."

He raised his sword and brought it down, blood spraying on his face and his bright smile.

* * *

"People of Vale!"

Weiss' words barely rose above the noise of the crowd shuffling in the town square. A few people stopped to look as she climbed on the edge of the fountain, their attention first drawn by her voice, then kept by her royal appearance. White hair, blue eyes, fair skin. None many had as much as caught a glimpse of her in their lives, yet they all recognized who she was.

Blake stood a few scant paces to her right, trying to appear inconspicuous. Her hands fell slowly to the daggers at her hips, while her eyes scanned every direction in search of potential trouble.

" _People of Vale!_ " Weiss yelled again. She unsheathed her rapier and raised above her head. "You must listen!"

Slowly, the first people who had stop started to shuffle around, touching and calling to others, who stopped to listen too. As more and more eyes fell on her, Weiss found that breathing was suddenly a monumental effort. The arm by which she held her rapier was shaking; her throat felt dry. Never before in her life had she felt so afraid - Cinder Fall seemed a threat from another world, now.

"There is…"

She stopped herself and closed her eyes. She heard murmurs from the crowd; a few scoffs and footsteps echoing away; Blake moving closer in concern.

She opened her eyes again.

"People of Vale. A disease runs in your city. _Our_ city. We have all felt it – we feel it every day, with every breath we take, every second we spend living here," Weiss spoke. "That disease has taken away your children, your fathers and mothers, all your loved ones! I say… _no more_!"

"My name is Weiss Schnee, rightful heir to the throne… and spreader of that disease." People gasped. Blake looked at her with wide eyes. "For too long, my family has watched from above as you suffer. We were comfortable within the walls of our castle, never cold, never hungry. I'd like to say we were ignorant of how things are down here… but I'm afraid I would be lying to myself, and most importantly, to you."

"There's no way I can apologize. Words alone cannot mend the damage my family has caused you. But, still, I must ask that you put your faith in me… For there is an even greater evil in our city, and she relishes in our suffering and aims to make it even greater."

For an instant, she was silent, though nobody quite noticed it. Yet the silence felt like an eternity to her. There was no going back from this.

"Her name… is Summer Rose, scourge of Vale! Let us take her down – together!"

She watched anxiously as the crowd broke into many different reactions.

Half of the people present turned and continued their activities as if nothing had happened.

Some screamed at her in rage. Others in support. Those two groups shoved and punched each other, defending their points as fiercely as they knew how.

Many stood still, not knowing what to feel. This didn't happen every day. Should they even have an opinion?

A young man with gray hair raised a gun. Even surrounded by so much noise, the clicking of the chamber turning reached Blake's ears.

"Don't-!"

 _Bang_.

Blake tackled her. Weiss fell to the ground and rolled. She stood up hastily and glanced at her temporary bodyguard – unharmed. The fountain behind them had a new chipped spot.

Blake opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly, the crowd threw up an uproar all at once, their divide from before completely forgotten. Guardsmen came marching towards the fountain, shoving people aside. Some brave souls stood up to them, and they were felled quickly and mercilessly.

Red soaked the ground; screams of outrage and despair filled the town square.

"Guards! I order you to stop!" Weiss yelled, though she knew it would most probably be futile. She put her rapier in front of her. "You're under a spell! Fight it!"

"It's no use," Blake said, her voice betraying how calm she looked as she stepped in front of Weiss. "Stay behind me."

"No," Weiss stepped beside her. "I cannot use my magic, not in front of so many people. But my sword is still as sharp as ever, as is my skill with it," she glanced at the faunus sideways. "Don't kill them."

Blake grunted and brought her daggers up, deflecting a lance strike from the first guard that reached them. With the pommel of one of her daggers, she struck the center of his forehead through his helmet, knocking him out cold.

Weiss made a sound of satisfaction and readied herself to face her own targets.

* * *

Ruby was as fast as the wind as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, moving towards Vale's town square as fast as she could. The world was a blur around her, yet she still feared she would arrive too late. Weiss and Blake had left at least two hours ago, by Yang's account. That was too much time for something to go wrong.

She stopped suddenly as gunfire rang in her ears. Yeah, there it was! Ruby gritted her teeth and began to run again, willing herself to go even faster – faster – _faster_!

"Hyah!" She soared over the town square, her red cloak flowing behind her. Her eyes scanned the ground below.

A crowd was dissipating in panic, screams and cursed filling the airs. A few mangled corpses laid on the ground. Guardsmen converged towards the fountain at the center of the square, where two people were making a stand…

"Blake! Weiss! I'm co-"

More gunfire. Ruby looked around, wild-eyed, and spotted a shooter standing up in the rooftop of a nearby shop on the edge of the square. She landed briefly, then jumped again, willing herself towards the lone figure.

She landed behind them and turned around, identifying the person as a faunus woman, wearing a white and red mask that concealed her face. White Fang. Ruby swung with her scythe, striking the gunwoman's legs with the blunt side of it.

"Shooting unaware people is rude!" Ruby yelled and punched the faunus on the side of the head, knocking her out cold. "And stay down!"

She looked up, only to realize more faunus were appearing around the town square – on rooftops, on the ground, exiting out of buildings… She spotted Yang arriving and immediately engaging one of the White Fang.

"Nice work, sister," Ruby nodded. "Now, to deal with you rude folk… Hmm… First, the rooftops. Then, the ground. Here I come!"

She jumped to the rooftop with the nearest shooter she could find. This one, a male rabbit faunus, was prepared for her. Fortunately, her movements were too fast for him to follow, and she managed to take him out by striking him in the back of the head.

The next one put up a fight. Different from the others, he wielded a long rifle, which allowed him to block her attacks, with some difficulty. Ruby had to put some actual effort in the fight. She could have dealt with him easily, of course, but she didn't want to kill him. This made things trickier than they had to be.

Their weapons clashed again. His rifle made a crunching noise – something inside had just been damaged. He realized that one second sooner than Ruby, though, and tossed it at her as hard as he could. Ruby ducked to avoid the makeshift projectile, and immediately received a kick in the chin as a reward.

She groaned and let Crescent Rose fall to the ground, then disappeared and reappeared behind the man. A knee to the small of his back made him fall on all fours, and a subsequent open palmed strike on the same spot laid him down, too hurt to keep fighting.

Ruby smiled, but the joy of her victory vanished quickly when she heard a chamber spinning behind her. A cold barrel touched the back of her head.

"Now don't move, little girl. Unless you want to have your brains blown out, of course," a woman said behind her. "The boss has some interest in you. Said he could use you to enact revenge on that noble-rubbing traitor. How do you feel about that?"

"Don't like the idea very much, thank you," Ruby gulped. "Uhm, please don't shoot me…? Or take me to your boss…?"

"I don't know. Both are very good options. Heh! I simply cannot decide-"

Something swung through the air, and Ruby heard a body hit the ground behind her. She spun around and found Sun staring at her with a goofy smile on his face as he picked up his staff up again.

"Sun!" She exclaimed happily. "Thank you so much!"

"Hey, don't mention it," Sun shrugged. "A friend's in need is a friend worth getting into a fight for. Besides, we are in the same rebellion, right? And the queen's down there?"

Ruby nodded.

"Alright! My friends should be arriving any time now to help too!" Sun raised his fists triumphantly, like he was joining a party, and not a battle for the fate of the kingdom. "You've never met Scarlet and Sage, have you?"

"No, I don't think so." Ruby said.

"You're gonna love them. They're mean with their weapons," he stated. "Anyway. We've got some White Fang ass to kick, haven't we?"

* * *

Yang growled under her breath as she strode into the square, catching a White Fang grunt by the back of his collar and slamming him to the ground, knocking him unconscious.

A nearby companion of his turned and aimed a gun, shooting it at her. The bullet hit her right in the forehead, and bounced away harmlessly. Yang cracked her neck and dashed at the startle faunus, swinging a fist at his chest. Bones broke at the impact, and he fell down, howling in pain.

Yang took a step back, surveying the damage she'd just done with mixed horror and regret. She looked down at her hands.

"Calm down," she muttered. "You're not her... You're not her..."

* * *

Blake pulled Weiss down, hiding the both of them behind the fountain. Bullets cut the air above them. Another second too late, and one of them would have sustained a very serious injury.

"Who's shooting?" Weiss asked. "Did you get a good look?"

"They were all over the place, wearing masks. White Fang, I think," Blake said. "At least they distracted the guards."

"Those madmen… There's people in the line of fire, they could die," Weiss noted. "And who was the man who shot first? From the crowd? He looked familiar."

"I know. I think – hey, is that Ruby?" Blake pointed to a nearby rooftop, where a red-garbed warrior was fighting one of the shooters.

Weiss had no time to answer, as she was suddenly pulled to her feet by a pair of strong hands and dragged away from Blake. A masked brute held her by the collar of her dress, lifting her high in the air, her feet leaving the ground. "Hehe… I've always wanted to kill a Schnee…" He rumbled in a deep, unnatural voice.

Blake went to dash after her, but three more White Fang members appeared and put themselves in the way. "Step aside," she warned. "I am not as merciful as she would be."

They didn't heed her warning, instead charging her with swords drawn. Blake turned into a shadow and passed through them, reforming behind them. She spun around and planted a dagger into one of the outlaw's back, killing him instantly.

Blake pulled her dagger back and stared at her remaining foes. They glanced at each other, fearful, asking silently if they should retreat… And suddenly fell unconscious.

Sage stood over them, cracking his fists with a cocky grin on his lips. Scarlet patted him on the arm and laughed. "See, Blake? Told you he loves pummeling people."

"Not true," Sage mumbled. "…Fine. Partially true."

Blake turned around and saw Weiss still being dragged away by the humongous man from before. The queen yelled and kicked him, but he didn't even flinch. If anything, he seemed amused by her frantic struggle to escape.

Blake raised her dagger and closed one eye, taking aim. She needed to be extremely precise – she doubted the brute would slow down if she hit anywhere that wasn't vital.

"You might hit her." Sage warned.

"Yeah, I suggest we get closer." Scarlet chimed in.

"Can't do that. Too slow," Blake said. "I just need you to trust… me!" With that last word, she tossed her dagger. It flew through the square, making a sharp noise as it cut the air. With a sickening sound, it buried deep in the brute's neck.

He froze. His hand opened, and Weiss fell down and backed away instinctively, thinking he was about to collapse on top of her.

And then he moved again, reaching with one hand to pull the dagger out of his neck. He tossed it away like trash, then scanned the town square. Blake felt a chill run down her spine as he looked directly at her.

The brute ran in her direction, lifting his big hands as if to grab her. Blake stood still, knowing she should run, but too disturbed by what had just happened to do it. Sage put himself between them, drawing his greatsword and swinging it in the same motion.

What happened next was even more surprising. The brute reached forward, his hands about to meet the sword… and he grabbed it, the blade digging into his palm, and ripped it from Sage's grip.

"What!" That was all Sage could say before he was swatted away like a fly, crashing into a nearby building.

Scarlet cursed and took out his pistol, taking three shots at the man. The bullets bounced off his skin without doing any damage. "I should have expected that," Scarlet groaned. "I suggest you run, Blake!" He turned and jumped away.

The brute brought his two hands down together, meaning to crush Blake, but she turned into shadow at the last moment and phased through the attack. She solidified again and punched him in the chest, but she only hurt herself. One of his hands swung back to grab her, but suddenly, he was sent reeling to the right, the blade of a scythe pushing on the side of his neck.

Blake looked up and found Ruby mid-movement, having just crashed into the beastly man with her all her unnatural speed – yet he only stumbled, not a single drop of blood flowing from his seemingly unbreakable skin.

Ruby yelled, losing her grip on her scythe, and crashed on the ground painfully. The man roared furiously and chased after her, raising one foot to stomp down on her, but she got up fast and backed away, flickering out of his reach and reappearing beside Blake. Ruby wrapped around the faunus' midsection and carried her to a nearby alley outside their enemy's view.

"Thanks for the save," Blake muttered. "You got any amazing ideas of how to take this monster down?"

"Monster?" Ruby repeated, her eyes examining the man from head to toe as he spun in place, trying to relocate his missing opponents. "Yeah, he looks just dumb enough to be one," she shook her head. "And no, I don't know how we're gonna defeat him. I hit him in the neck with Crescent Rose and he wasn't even hurt. Maybe he's invincible."

"There _must_ be some way we can kill him – because I don't think anything less is gonna cut it. Sorry, Ruby," Blake said. "Maybe a weak spot? His face is concealed. Might be – oh, no…"

As if just now remembering his original goal, the brute stopped searching for them and turned away, stomping back towards Weiss. Along the way, he picked up Sage's greatsword and raised it above his head as if it had the weight of a feather.

Weiss took a few steps back, eyes widening in fear… then stopped. Her back straightened, her hands closed into fists, and her expression took on newfound courage. All of a sudden, she looked much taller than she actually was. "Take one more step, and you'll know the power my family used to keep the throne for generations. That's your only warning."

The man came to a halt, only lowering Sage's sword. Somewhere deep in his eyes, Weiss saw emotion for the first time. Fear. And then… _wrath_.

"SCHNEE!"

He tossed the sword at her. Weiss jumped to the side, barely avoiding being blade, and raised her hands. Her palms glowed faintly, the air around them crystallizing.

A tiny voice in the back of her head told her to stop. Using magic out in the open would throw away all she had done to earn the people's trust. She might as well light up a bonfire and brand herself a witch. But another part of her spoke much louder, screaming for her to let it all out, to show the world who she really was, consequences be damned.

"Not so fast, big guy!" A familiar voice snapped her from her thoughts. The brute was pulled back by the collar of his shirt and slammed against the ground by Yang, whose eyes were redder than Weiss had ever seen before – for a moment, it looked like fire had literally replaced them.

Yang brought her fist down on the brute's face. His mask cracked and fell to pieces around his, revealing a face marred by far too many scars to count. His ire seemed to grow even bigger as he raised his arm and closed a hand around her neck.

Weiss watched in horror as the nerves on his arms showed, his muscles bulging grotesquely. The force in that grasp could have shattered metal. Yang fell on top of his him, pushing against the ground with both hands to try and escape him, but it was to no avail. His chest rose and fell in a rumbling chuckle.

He twisted his hand.

"…Was that all?" Yang smiled viciously. "Let me show you the real thing."

She pushed again, and this time broke from his grasp with apparent ease, but promptly descended on him again, landing punch after punch across his face. Blood splattered on the stone below them. Bones on her hands cracked audibly, but she kept going. Fire spiraled around them – harmless to her, but searing away at his skin.

With a final roar, Yang rose slightly and downed a punch on his chest. What had repelled bullet and blade gave away to her fist. He wheezed for a long while, blood gurgling inside his mouth… then closed his eyes and passed away.

Yang stood up and turned around, slowly walking towards Weiss. The royal waited anxiously, eyes focused on the blonde's fiery ones. Magic still flowed around her hands, faintly, but ready for her to use if necessary.

"So," Yang stopped before her. "Like what you see?"

Weiss hesitated for a moment, then finally relaxed, letting her magic ebb away, unnoticed. "It was rather brutal, so no. But I appreciate your help."

Yang nodded, turning away slightly, then looked at her again. "I was in control the whole time."

Weiss stared at her in silence, wondering where _that_ had come from. Perhaps her apprehension had been more noticeable than she had thought, and Yang felt the need to reassure her. Or perhaps that wasn't really directed at her, and Yang was only reassuring herself. Maybe both.

No matter the truth, though, Weiss believed those words. She opened her mouth to respond, when an explosive noise rang through the square and a sudden pain pierced through her.

Weiss stood still for a moment, her ears buzzing, the world becoming blurry around her. Then she looked down and saw her dress turning red, blood exiting from a hole to the side of her belly, and started to fall.

* * *

 **Sorry for the abnormally long wait for the chapter. I could list all the reasons why it took so long, but I'm not gonna bother you guys with that _-_ I know _I_ don't like when authors start giving excuses for delays. You could probably guess some stuff by how long this chapter was, though.  
**

 **I hope I didn't cram too much in here. I realize some stuff might seem unrelated to the rest of the chapter - Cinder's scene, for example - but it's stuff we gotta get to so we can move forward with the story in a reasonable pace.**

 **Oh, and sorry for the cliffhanger... Or not. I'm a little evil. Hehe. But rest assured, Weiss didn't die or anything...**

 **OR DID SHE?!**

 **-Zeroan**


	24. Retreat

_What why hurts not now please Winter falling so much left Ruby save me please catch me Ruby Yang CATCH ME_

* * *

Yang darted forward, barely catching Weiss before she hit the ground. Blood soaked through the queen's dress, adding even more red to her already tainted hands. Horror and disgust struck her in waves, but that was nothing compared to the rage threatening to burst from inside her.

Her head snapped up, fiery eyes scanning every inch of the town square. White Fang goons and city guards were strewn unconscious everywhere, while her allies looked at Weiss and her in shock. Ruby had her mouth covered with her hands, tears trailing down her cheeks. Her scythe was dropped near her feet.

The only one not looking at Weiss was Blake. Her amber eyes were fixed instead far ahead of her, and even from such a distance, Yang could see the disdain in them – although she could swear there was also some pity there.

Blake marched across the square, holding her daggers steadily at her sides. Yang followed her trajectory and saw two young women standing there. She faintly recognized one of them – probably a guard she had seen before – while the other, a rabbit-eared faunus, was unknown to her.

"Velvet." Blake said, stopping before the two women. The soldier girl looked at her companion in worry, then put herself between her and Blake, drawing a pistol.

"Back off." She warned.

"You just attempted to assassinate the Queen," Blake took another step forward. "You back off."

The soldier faltered, then stepped aside. Blake just stood there, staring at the faunus in silence, as if she didn't know what to do next. Yang looked the stranger up and down, noticing she was holding a smoking pistol in her trembling left hand.

Fury overwhelmed Yang again, but as she made to stand up, Blake looked back at her and spoke up again. "Is she alive?"

Yang stood still for a few seconds, struck by the question. Everything had happened so fast, and she had been so distraught, she had barely even looked at the girl in her arms. She knelt back down and examined Weiss, her anger ebbing away slowly as she took in her now-crimson dress, replaced by a sense of helplessness and defeat.

"Yeah. She's breathing. I think she got shot in the… the…" Yang's words got caught in her throat. "She needs help."

Blake walked to her and crouched at her side. "Give her to me," the faunus whispered, and Yang glared at her. "You said it – she needs help. But we can't have you carry her all the way back to the hideout in broad daylight. I'll be more discrete. Just trust me, alright?"

Yang still didn't like the idea of letting go of Weiss, but thinking back, Blake had never disappointed her. Despite all the dark paths she could have followed, Blake was here, fighting for the very people she should, by all rights, hate the most.

Wordlessly, Yang handed the queen over. Blake took her carefully, then nodded confidently to Yang and sprinted away from the square, soon disappearing in maze of streets of Vale.

"So!" Yang turned around at the sound of Ruby's voice. She was a little alarmed, even after all that had happened. It wasn't often that she heard such intensity in her little sister's voice, after all. "Are you coming willingly, or am I gonna have to knock you out?"

To emphasize her point, Ruby lifted her scythe and spun it once in her hand, then slammed it to the ground heavily. Velvet flinched, her whole body shaking, eyes darting everywhere but Ruby. Her companion looked at Ruby, then the giant brute collapsed nearby, with his chest destroyed. Silently, she reached for Velvet's hand and took her pistol, then offered it and her own to Ruby.

"That's what I thought," Ruby said, confiscating the weapons. She looked at Velvet, her expression softening ever so slightly. "I never thought you'd do something like this, Velvet. I really liked you."

Velvet almost collapsed, her knees buckling underneath her. Her friend held her by the arms and looked at Ruby pleadingly. "Can we just get this over with? Take us wherever you want. We submit."

Ruby nodded, fixing her scythe behind her back. "Alright. So, uh…" She turned around and met eyes with her sister, seeking help.

Yang smiled, putting aside the turmoil inside of her for the moment, her motherly instincts taking over without her even noticing. "Nice work, Little Rose. Go on…"

Ruby grinned, then turned around again and began to gesture to their gathered allies in the town square, organizing an orderly retreat.

Yang just shook her head in admiration. In these moments, everything felt so much easier. But she knew better than to let her guard down.

Nothing good lasts forever.

* * *

Mercury left the shadows of the alley, his boots clinging softly against the ground. Fortunately for him, there was a thin layer of snow covering the whole of Vale, so the noise was muffled. If not for that, his current task would have been virtually impossible to accomplish.

The girl was cocky, he could tell. Clinging to the shadows, keeping her head low, taking turns that led them in circles time and time again. A good attempt at shaking off any unwanted pursuers. But he was no ordinary thug, and until three months ago, she had never set her foot outside of her slaver's castle. It was only a matter of time before he caught up, and she would never be the wiser to it.

Lady Rose would reward him greatly for bringing him the Schnee. He knew she wanted the girl, and she wanted her urgently – desperately, he dared think. Not only that, but he would also be getting rid of Belladonna in the process. If only he could get to the redhead too, somehow…

Belladonna stopped briefly, kneeling down in the shadows of an abandoned house. She put the Schnee down gingerly, probably checking her injury.

Mercury grinned. "Mistake." He fished out his pistol and sneaked closer, preparing to jump out of the shadows and take one clean shot at the faunus' head.

Just as he was about to put his plan to action, he felt the cold touch of a barrel on the back of his neck. "What did you say? _Mistake_?" A chuckle. "Oh, the irony."

Mercury growled and spun around, putting all his momentum into a kick. His unexpected foe seemed to dodge only by pure luck, as he took a step back and slipped on the snow, falling beneath the attack.

Mercury glared at the boy, recognizing him from the castle. Jaune Arc – the guard who had befriended Nikos. Lady Rose hadn't thought he was worthy of searching for. An error in judgement on her part, perhaps.

"Are you really going to fight me?" Mercury whispered in frustration. "Do you even know who I am? I'm a born assassin. You're just a fool who got in with important people. How long do you think you'll last?"

Jaune raised an eyebrow at him. "Jeez. Be more arrogant, please. I can't quite see your gigantic ego yet," he rolled his eyes. "But, yeah. I guess you're right, partly. I'm no match for you. And I did make some powerful friends," he grinned. "Which is why _I_ am not gonna fight you."

He raised his pistol suddenly and shot at the sky. The noise carried through the air, echoing in the streets all around them. Mercury cursed and looked over his shoulder, noticing Belladonna had gotten up in a hurry and was now sprinting away with the queen.

Mercury turned back to Jaune, raising his own pistol. "You little piece of-" Someone dropped behind him, but before he could turn, a staff smashed against the side of his face. Mercury stumbled away, dizzy, but still keeping his grip on his weapon.

Mercury growled. "I swear, whoever you are, you're gonna-" The staff hit him again, this time right in the head.

"Yeah, yeah. _You're gonna regret this, dirty monkey_ , _blah blah_ , I already know it," a sigh. "I swear, you thugs are all the same. Want a banana, Jaune?"

Mercury looked up, bewildered by the question, only to receive a hard punch in the cheek. He fell down, hitting his head on the ground and passing out.

"I'm not all that hungry," Jaune said. "Thank you for the offer, though. And for saving me, too."

"Eh. You know what they say. Today you; tomorrow me," Sun leaned his staff on his shoulder. "Or something like that."

* * *

The court slowly shuffled inside the strategy room, the nobles slowly taking their seats around the round table, throwing wary glances at the Lady Regent. Cinder simply sat in her chair, which looked much more like a throne, tapping her fingers rhythmically on its arms, and gave them comforting smiles in return. Her charm and her magic were enough to calm them down. They would never know just how furious she was on the inside.

"Gentlemen. Ladies," she spoke calmly when everyone had taken their seats. She gave Lady Goodwitch a sly glance, and the woman nodded slightly in response. "Thank you for showing up at such short notice. I was not predicting such momentous… events to happen today. I suppose everyone is aware of what this meeting is about?"

Half of the gathered nobles expressed their understanding, while the other half seemed hopelessly confused. Cinder contained a sigh. She supposed every court in the world was filled with fools, but why did she have to end up with these ones in particular?

"It seems that the former lord Ozpin was not content with just laying low and escaping our city once winter is over. No, no! Apparently, his treachery knows no end," Cinder said. "The whole time we've been searching for the Queen, he had her. And now, through deceit or vile magics – I wouldn't put anything past him – he has turned her against us."

"They plan a rebellion. Unbelievable," one lord muttered, his eyes avoiding the Regent's as if they might turn him to stone. "And they paint you as a witch and a tyrant."

"I wonder why." Another chimed in, leaning back on his chair and rolling his eyes.

Cinder turned her head to look at him. Her fingers stopped tapping, to instead grip the arms of her chair. She had half a mind to incinerate the idiot on the spot, but she couldn't very well do that with the whole court in presence. Perhaps later.

"Well, I am certainly no witch. If I were, I wouldn't have spent most of my life fighting the likes of you with only a scythe, now would I?" She chuckled. "As for a tyrant? I suppose some would call me that. But then again, I've yet to hear of a ruler that was never at the receiving end of that claim."

"With all due respect, Lady Rose," a noblewoman raised her hand to draw attention. "The city is a mess. You have spurned the Guard to such activity, yet that has only resulted in more violence and chaos. Bodies line the streets. People are taken from their homes in a frantic search for the queen. Slaves flee and murder their masters. And it's only a matter of time before the White Fang storms this castle and beheads all of us," she paused. "You might not be a tyrant, but you're no savior either."

"Ah. I see," Cinder scoffed. "I suppose I should have just snapped my fingers and had the whole situation fixed overnight. It is that easy, after all, to deal with rebels, traitors, and missing and dead queens."

"No one in their mind would think any such thing. You are not to blame, Lady Rose. The situation is just beyond your capability to fix, and… you've gone through so much recently…" the woman sighed. "Your daughter was seen fighting at the Queen's side during the altercation in town."

Suddenly, without her even thinking of it, Cinder stood up and slammed her hands on the table in front of her. "That _demon_ is not my daughter!"

A heavy silence filled the room. The noblewoman who had been talking lowered her head in shame or regret. Cinder stared at her own hands with wavering eyes, her heartbeat accelerating.

The girl. Out of everything, _all the things_ that could have proved a problem to her. The Schnee sisters. Ozpin. The White Fang. She had had plans regarding all of them. And that wretched, silver-eyed _nobody_ had come out of nowhere and ruined all of them.

" _She_ …" Cinder composed herself, sitting back down and letting out a long breath. "I don't know what she is. As I said, I'm not putting anything past Ozpin anymore. Perhaps he… he stole her sleeping body and poisoned her against me. Just like he did with the Queen."

She looked up discreetly, examining all the nobles gathered around the table one by one. She could tell they pitied her. Before, that had been good enough to manipulate them, but not anymore. If they thought her weak, they would replace her and cast her out.

There was only one option left. She would have to go all out, bind their will to hers with her magic. Every single one of them. It was incredibly risky. One moment of carelessness, or a mind too strong to be conquered, and it was over.

Well, not exactly over. She could always murder the whole lot of them and sit alone in her throne. But that wasn't what she wanted, now what was it?

Desperate times called for desperate measures, she decided, and stood up again. "I will not stand for it. Mark my words," her voice boomed throughout the room, magic permeating every syllable. "By the end of this winter season, I will have the Queen returned to her rightful place on the throne, Ozpin and his lackeys all captured and hanged for their crimes, and the White Fang will be nothing but an ugly footnote on the history of Vale," she raised her voice even more. "Now. Does anyone wish to question my resolve?"

She didn't lower her guard for an instant, all her being focused on the nobles gathered before her. She could feel the magic of her words flowing around them, invading their thoughts, the deepest, most private confines of their minds being twisted and reshaped according her will.

They all bowed their heads and muttered all sorts of things, from apologies to oaths of allegiance to offers of all their help. At another time, a time before everything was hell for her, Cinder would have smiled, proud of her infallible power. But hatred was still burning inside her, and she couldn't bear the thought of staring at their idiotic faces for as much as another minute.

"Now leave," Cinder pointed to the door. "This meeting is over."

The nobles rose and exited the room fast, unknowingly driven by the magic that now affected them. Glynda was one of the last to go, and before she left, Cinder grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to her.

"You will wait a few days, then talk to Vasilias. Make him tell you where the traitors are keeping the Queen. Torture him if you have to," Cinder whispered on her ear. "And if he refuses to speak, bring him to the verge of death and toss him outside. Can you do that for me?"

Glynda did not reply for a few seconds, staring blankly at the space behind Cinder. The Regent gripped her arm tighter, adding more to the magic she had already applied to the noblewoman.

"Yes," Glynda said finally. "I can do that."

"Good. You may leave."

Once Glynda was out of the room, Cinder took a few moments to rest. She sat at the edge of the table, breathing steadily, her eyes closed. The flames inside her faded slowly, until she could think straight again.

She looked to the corner of the room and smiled. "You can show yourself now."

With a sigh of relief, Emerald appeared out of thin air, discarding the illusion she had held for the duration of the meeting. "The way you handled those pigs, ma'am, it was very…" She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Impressive."

"Thank you, Emerald. Though I must admit, I am a bit disappointed I had to resort to witchery," Cinder shrugged. "But you are not here to compliment me. Can you relocate Mercury?"

"I'm afraid not, ma'am," Emerald gulped. "That idiot went out on his own to pursuit Belladonna. I told him we should just head back to you, but he ignored me. He probably got captured."

"Captured. And here I was thinking hiring the best assassins in the land would be worthwhile," Cinder clucked her tongue. "I cannot wait to get my hands on him again. I gave all of you very strict orders about what to do about Schnee – chiefly among all, _don't harm her_. I need her alive."

"Yeah… I also told him not to shoot her," Emerald nodded. "Mercury is stubborn like that."

Cinder looked up at ceiling, letting her head slack for a while. Her plans had been doing astray for a while. Even now, they threatened a spectacularly horrible ending. But… she could see a way out. A way to twist everything that had gone wrong in her favor.

"Emerald. Listen closely," she said. "I have a very important job for you…"

* * *

Weiss opened her eyes to utter darkness. A groan rumbled in her throat, her mouth too dry to make a sound. She felt light, impossibly light, her head swimming in the clouds.

As time passed, she grew more aware of her surroundings, noticing the soft surface upon she was resting. A mattress. Her bed in the hideout? She was wearing a gown too big for her. And beside her, she could hear someone breathing not very softly.

She swallowed dryly, then snaked her arm out of the covers and poked whoever it was.

"Hmm? Oh, hi," there was a spark, then a candle was lit, revealing Yang. "Welcome back to the world of the living, princess."

"Don't call me princess," Weiss said groggily. "How long was I out?"

"A week." Weiss nearly jumped out of the bed. Yang chuckled, then waved her hands to settle down the royal. "Just kidding. Blake brought you back, then Ozpin fixed you up. Then you slept overnight. It's a new day."

"Oh," Weiss looked at her crossly. "You could have just said that in the first place."

"And not see that priceless expression you made?" Yang smiled. "Not a chance."

Weiss sighed, resting her back on the wall behind her. She felt down her body with one hand, and eventually found the spot, at the right of her belly, covered by stitches and a bandage. It hurt like hell, as she had imagined it should.

"Congratulations on your first bullet wound," Yang said cheerfully. "Even I haven't got one. I mean, a lot of people have shot at me. I should be dead, actually. But they just bounce off, so…"

"How unfortunate for you," Weiss replied bitterly. "Who did this to me?"

"One of your former slaves, I think. Velvet. She had a friend too. They're both locked up here, if you want to talk to them. Or punch them," Yang shrugged. "I would probably do the latter."

Weiss clenched her fists. Of course it had been Velvet. That faunus hated her with all her might, probably, after Weiss had sentenced her to death. And yet when they had met in town, Weiss had let her go without doing anything. She had felt sorry for Velvet, and a shot in the back had been her repayment for that.

Of course it's repayment, Weiss realized. Her expression softened. Repayment for years of slavery, of being toyed with and ordered around at the edge of a blade and pistol.

Suddenly, her injury did not seem to be hurting all that much anymore.

"So, I know this is not the time, with you recovering from being shot and all that," Yang spoke again, unusually softly. "But… Why didn't you tell me about Ruby not being my sister?"

Weiss groaned. This really was not the time. But she supposed Yang deserved an answer, and in the state she was in, Weiss felt like giving an honest one. "First off, it wasn't necessary. All you _needed_ to know at the time was that Ruby was alive and with me," she said. "On top of that, it wasn't my place to tell you. The choice of telling you was hers and hers only."

Yang nodded, taking the information silently as it was given.

"And… While this is in no way rational, and I'd prefer to keep this to myself," Weiss looked away. "My sister was practically lost to me. I did not want the same to happen to Ruby, or you."

"Oh," Yang was stunned for a brief moment, before she gave a mischievous smile. "So you _do_ care."

"Yes. That's the point of what I just said, you oaf," Weiss wormed her way back to her covers. "But don't let it get to your head."

Weiss closed her eyes to sleep again, but couldn't rest. She looked at Yang again, only to find her with a lopsided grin on her lips.

The queen groaned. It was definitely getting to her head.

* * *

Ruby paced restlessly in the entrance room of the hideout. Her eyes kept darting to the table next to her. Her scythe laid there, close enough that she could have it in her hands in the blink of an eye. Just a precaution, probably an unnecessary one, but she would rather not regret having it if something went wrong.

A few minutes passed, until finally, Blake arrived. The faunus gave her an amused look, then sat down on a chair. Ruby sat next to her in the blink of an eye, staring at her expectantly.

"So," the redhead leaned forward. "How did it go?"

"It went… not as bad as you'd think," Blake said. "Velvet's really shocked at what she did, which, to be honest, we should have predicted. You know how nervous she is. Even for a slave, she was so… fragile."

"So she won't do anything like that again?" Ruby asked. "We don't have to punish her, right…?"

"I don't think so. That was a one-time thing. Like she had reached a breaking point," Blake explained. "And Coco is keeping an eye on her. She's a good friend."

"I know her, kind of," Ruby noted. "She was from the Guard. And wasn't she the one who survived the breach's opening?"

Blake nodded. Ruby leaned back on her chair, feeling much more at ease now that she knew things would be alright. Weiss was recovering nicely. Velvet was under control. And, as far as public fights for the future of kingdoms went, theirs had gone relatively well.

"So, what do we do now?" Ruby asked.

"Well, I'd like to deal with the White Fang. As long as they're around, we can't fight Cinder. Not without worrying a surprise attack like the one at the square," Blake sighed. "But… I suppose for now, we rest. Weiss isn't going anywhere in her condition."

Ruby hummed, not disagreeing with that train of thought. She always preferred getting back on the action, but fighting Cinder and the White Fang meant nothing if Weiss wasn't at their side.

The two shared a moment of silence, Ruby twiddling her thumbs on her lap. She didn't know what Blake was thinking, but it seemed like she was comfortable, which only resulted in Ruby feeling the exact contrary. This seemed to be happening more and more lately every time they were alone, and Ruby was starting to hate it.

"Uh… So…" Ruby said hesitantly. "What are you planning to do, Blake? When… all of this is over?"

Blake shifted her weight in her chair, leaning towards Ruby slightly. Her amber eyes fell curiously on the redhead, and Ruby felt like slipping away using her unnatural speed.

"I haven't thought of that. Not really. My life's always been either of a slave or a fighter," Blake frowned. "I can't imagine how it will be like after Cinder is gone. What about you?"

"Oh, uh. Yeah, I guess I've a few ideas. Maybe travel around the world a bit. Although Weiss probably is going to need help keeping order around here…" Ruby gulped. "But, I guess anything would be nice, as long as you were around."

Blake blinked a few times, then leaned back and crossed her arms, staring at Ruby as if asking a silent question. Ruby tapped her foot nervously on the floor, while her eyes went up to the ceiling. Anything to make the conversation less awkward.

"When Cinder cursed me and I went to sleep, a lot of weird stuff happened. I know I told you about it, but not everything," Ruby said. "So, there were those things called Shades there. Raven said they were spirits or something. People who had gotten lost in their dreams."

Ruby paused to make sure Blake was understanding what she was saying. She was still paying attention, and hadn't made a sound.

"And, you know, these dreams… They were basically about these people's lives being perfect, or how they wanted them to be. Even if they didn't know it," Ruby said. "One time, I almost turned into a Shade because I dreamed a little too much. I was lucky Raven was there to save me."

"…Alright," Blake said. "And what did you dream about?"

"Ah! You catch on quick! Clever Blake!" Ruby giggled nervously. "Life was, uh, good. I was still Weiss' bodyguard, and she was just a princess, so I suppose Winter was alright. Summer was alive and actually my mother. I think Yang was with Weiss? That was weird."

"Huh," Blake grinned. "You have _some_ imagination, Ruby. What about me? Did I have a place in your dream?"

"You were, uh… a member of the Guard, I think," Ruby braced herself. "And… we were t-together! Haha!" She knocked herself on the side of the head. "Yes, I have _some_ imagination! Woo! Slow down, inner Ruby!"

"Oh!" Blake sat up straight in her chair, blushing profusely. "Y-yeah, t-that's funny."

"I k-know, right?!"

Suddenly, Yang appeared behind Blake, shaking her head slowly. "You two are hopeless."

The only thing that stopped Blake from leaping away was Yang holding her down by the shoulders. Ruby watched in horror as her sister leaned down and began to whisper in Blake's ear. The faunus' face went through several expressions, from confused, fearing for her life, mortified, and finally, very, _very_ embarrassed.

Once she was done, Yang stood up straight again and winked to Ruby. "Have fun." She strolled away nonchalantly, whistling a merry tune.

Blake did not say a word, her eyes focused sharply on her lap. Ruby waited for a long while, building up the courage to ask what exactly Yang had said to her, but before she could, Blake snapped out of her stupor and looked at her.

"That was a nice dream," she said, standing up. "Maybe after everything is over… we could give that a try?"

Ruby did a double take, wondering if she had heard that right. Surely she had? But Blake was staring at her, hopeful, waiting for an answer.

"Y-yes?" Ruby replied shakily, then took a deep breath and spoke again. "Sure. I'd like that very much."

"Alright," Blake turned around mechanically. "I'll, uh, go check on-"

She was interrupted by the sound of the entrance of the hideout opening. Blake's hands flew to her daggers, while Ruby jumped to her feet and grabbed her scythe. They waited side by side, listening carefully as something came bumping down the stairs. A pair of voices grew closers, bickering and whining.

Finally, Jaune and Sun stumbled into the room, dropping an unconscious Mercury on the floor in front of the girls. Ruby stared in disbelief, while Blake just shook her head.

"Uh, sorry about this," Jaune said awkwardly. "I, uh, kinda stopped this guy from killing you yesterday. Knocked him out cold!"

"That was me, actually," Sun pointed out smugly. "But, to be fair, you did some nice distracting."

"Alright. Sun knocked him out cold. We were planning on keeping him locked up somewhere, but there wasn't anywhere safe, not really," Jaune explained. "I know this is supposed to be secret, but there wasn't any other option."

"Well. We can't blame you," Ruby looked at Blake for help. "Maybe we have room somewhere…?"

Blake sighed. "I'll get Ozpin."

* * *

 **Ah. A brief moment of despair. Things didn't go as badly as they could have. Well, I'm sure that's gonna change soon!**

 **I actually don't have much to say about this chapter. It was quite small... but it does set up what is pretty much the last stretch of the story. We still have a ways to go, though.**

 **(And I guess the hideout is S.T.A.R. Labs now, because anyone can come in no problem? Haha The Flash references! It feels like I've been waiting centuries to make this joke.)**

 **-Zeroan**


	25. Infiltration

"One, two. There you go. Now you're getting the hang of it."

Weiss looked up, a little annoyed at Ruby's need to congratulate her for every step she took. She wasn't even in that much pain anymore, a full week having passed since she was shot. Walking again was only a matter of refamiliarizing herself to the process, not of overcoming some great obstacle.

"Careful, Ruby," Yang warned playfully, leaning on a wall nearby. "Or else she's gonna put you in the chopping block."

"But… that's awful!" Ruby frowned. "You wouldn't do that to me, would you, Weiss?"

"The fact you felt the need to ask me that does make me want to do it a little," Weiss rolled her eyes. "But no. Just be quieter, please?"

Ruby pouted, but obeyed her anyway. Weiss looked away, feeling a little guilty, and in her distraction, forgot to be careful with her steps. Her right foot slipped on the floor of her room, and she went tumbling down, only barely saving herself from crashing down hard by holding on to the edge of her bed.

"Are you sure you're ready to walk again, Weiss?" Yang asked, her concern clear in her voice. "You got shot. Nobody's going to judge you for resting until you're better."

"That's not an option. Not for me," Weiss grunted, rising to her feet again. "I'm the queen of Vale. I'm not going to lie in bed while the rest of you fight my battles. Who would follow me, then?"

"I would!" Ruby answer promptly.

"That was a rhetoric question, Ruby." Weiss said.

"Then let us help you, at least!" Yang exclaimed. "What good would it do if you slipped and cracked your skull, eh?"

"I don't need your help," Weiss insisted. "I can _walk_ by myself."

Yang threw her hands in the air in frustration, then turned and stormed out of the room. She passed by Blake, who looked at her in puzzlement before turning to Ruby and Weiss.

"What's going on this time?" The faunus asked.

"Ruby's sister is as stubborn as a mule, that's what's going on," Weiss said, struggling to take another step. "Won't even let me walk by myself. Insolent brat…"

"Right. _Stubborn_ ," Blake smirked. "Reminds me of someone else I know."

"Yes, yes, You're so clever," Weiss waved her off. "Could we talk about something useful?"

Blake looked at Ruby for help, but the redhead just shrugged. Pride was one hell of a thing - some people were able to change dramatically just to keep theirs. For someone like Weiss, that was especially true.

"Ozpin and I have tried interrogating Mercury for information on Cinder, but he still refuses to talk," Blake said. "We suspect he doesn't even know Cinder is, you know, Cinder."

"Really? He thinks she's my mom?" Ruby groaned. "That just bums me out."

Blake shot her a sympathetic look, then continued on. "On a better note, Velvet and Coco seem genuinely sorry for what they did. They asked if they could join the cause today. What do you think, Weiss?"

Weiss sat down at the end of her bed, her hand coming to rest at the spot Velvet's bullet had come out from. "To be honest? I would rather never see Velvet's face again," she muttered. "But… I must set an example. So…"

"That's great to hear. Truly," Blake said, her lips forming a little smile. "I'll release them tomorrow."

"We'll keep an eye on them, Weiss," Ruby said. "Promise. Better safe than sorry. Right, Blake?"

Blake nodded solemnly, though Weiss could see how conflicted she felt about the whole situation. Not that she could blame her. Was anyone comfortable with it?

"What about Neptune and Lady Goodwitch?" Weiss asked. "Have we learned anything from them recently?"

"Some information about the Guard's routine, like patrol shifts and routes. That could be useful," Blake said. "Some courtroom intrigue. Most of it is just nonsense from the nobility. But apparently, Cinder is at her wit's end. She almost broke down in front of the council."

"Why?" Ruby rolled her eyes. "Did someone steal her frog eyes or toss her cauldron out the window?"

"No. It was because of you, actually." Blake's voice lowered, and her eyes refused to meet Ruby's.

"Oh. Well, that's good!" Ruby put her hands on her hips. "She's scared of me, and that's just how I want her to be."

"I don't," Blake crossed her arms. "It only puts you in more danger. Do you think she's going to hide forever?"

A heavy silence filled the room. Weiss stared at the two of them in dismay. After all those lessons of etiquette and communication that had been forced on her, she still couldn't help them in any way.

Finally, Blake looked to the exiled queen and spoke again. "I'm going to the castle again tonight. Maybe Neptune will have more to share," she turned to the door. "I'll be in the library, if anyone needs me."

Ruby watched her go, wanting nothing more than to chase after her. But now that her feelings for her were known, she knew Blake expected her to be patient. Anything else would just make her look childish.

She turned to look at Weiss and found her staring at her legs, which were trembling terribly as the tip of her toes approached the floor. Her expression was of desperation and frustration, a far tale from her normally composed self.

"I can help you, Weiss," Ruby said hopefully. "Please. Let me."

Weiss' hands curled into fists, and Ruby prepared for a severe lashing out. But instead, Weiss lowered her head and spoke, her voice cracking somewhat. "Alright… But only because it's you."

"I promise not to tell Yang," Ruby smiled and extended a hand. "Remember. One step at a time."

* * *

Glynda paced in front of Neptune's door. The hallway was empty, the only noise coming from the crackling of the torches on the walls. Everyone was either already sleeping or preparing to. There was little that could go wrong.

Yet at the same time, she knew everything that was about to happen was wrong.

She felt for the terrible weight of the dagger hidden in her sleeve one last time, then took a step towards the door and knocked.

* * *

Cinder smiled alone in her throne, distracting herself by passing a little flame between her hands.

Having had nothing to do but wait for the pieces of the chessboard to fall where she needed them to be, the past week had been a wonderful opportunity for some much-needed self-reflection.

Without their even realizing it, she had allowed herself to be manipulated by her enemies. People who were by no means worthy adversaries to her. A bunch of angry outcast faunus; a spoiled princess who hadn't worked a day in her life; and worst of all, Rose's precious little girl, back from the dead, but still as harmless as ever.

Looking back, it all seemed so pathetic. Cinder was the heiress to the most gifted bloodline in the world. She could bring this city to ruins in a matter of hours. The only reason everyone else was still alive is because she had _far_ grander plans.

" _The Reaper is back_ ," she chuckled. "How adorable."

That's all it was. Adorable. Cute. The arrogance of a naïve girl who thought she could change the world by sheer force of will.

Whatever fear Cinder had, she now realized it wasn't hers at all. It was buried far in the back of her mind, together with all the unwanted baggage she'd earned from the late Summer Rose.

As strong as it was, and as useful as the influence it brought her had been, Cinder was beginning to think borrowing Summer's body hadn't been worth the price she was paying. Oh, how she wanted to burn it to ashes now, to wear her real skin once again…

She was interrupted by the doors of the room opening, and a scruffy looking female captain's entrance. Cinder examined her from head to toe for a moment, then smiled knowingly.

"It's about time, Emerald," she said, leaning forward on the throne. "Is it done?"

Emerald walked to the throne, discarding her disguise along the way. "Goodwitch just dumped Vasilias in front of the castle. I checked him myself; she stabbed him right through. Idiot prince never had a chance. But he's still breathing."

"Good. That's precisely how I wanted it," Cinder said. "It seems Goodwitch is trustworthy, after all."

"Should I begin preparations, ma'am?" Emerald asked, raising her chin dutifully.

Cinder opened her mouth to speak, then stopped as a strange feeling rang through her body. She looked up, her lips forming a straight line, and curled her fists.

"Excuse me for a few minutes. Someone needs my attention," she said grudgingly. "Make sure no one enters this room while I'm away."

Without further explanation, Cinder closed her eyes and lay still in the throne.

* * *

Raven dropped from the stones, bending her knees as she landed on a thin layer of ice. Below it, a river flowed further ahead of her, disappearing in the whiteness of the blizzard that raged perpetually in this particular area of the dreamscape. Wispy silhouettes glided through the snowstorm, too many Shades for her to count, as if they were patrolling the area, searching for something.

It had taken her a lot of time to build up the courage to come here, a fact that bothered her immensely, but that she couldn't deny. She had been living in this strangest of realms for so long, seen things she couldn't explain, and she had never been cowered. Yet this place instilled an unshakable fear in her. She knew nothing good awaited her deep in the blizzard.

Perhaps the oddest thing was that, before she found Ruby, she had never noticed this place before, despite its proximity to the cave she used as a home. It was as if at one moment, it didn't exist, and the next, it did. Had Ruby created it somehow? It sounded impossible, but Raven had discarded that word from her vocabulary a long time ago.

She stood up slowly, careful to not crack the ice, and started walking. Her hand shot to her hip, and for the first time in years, she unsheathed her sword, even as she berated herself for acting so scared. She'd never met a Grimm or another human, aside from Ruby, nothing that could hurt her in this realm. And the only danger the Shades presented was the temptation of dreams, but she was grown immune to that by now. But the sword represented a time where she had been more powerful, more free, and holding it once again gave her courage she needed to keep going.

The blizzard grew harsher the further she walked, making Vale's weather look like a joke. If she were in the real world, she would have died already, even with her powers of fire. She shielded her eyes from the storm, but she could still see the Shades surrounding her, a few reaching to touch her. Raven felt chills run down her spine, and they weren't from the cold.

"Get… away." She struggled to speak when one wispy hand fell on her shoulder. She glared at the Shade it belonged to, willing her inner beast to the surface. Her eyes burned red, and the Shade backed off, as did the others.

Raven put renewed effort in her steps, eager to get away from her silent watchers. She had never seen Shades behave like that. It was like they were aware of themselves, almost, and she didn't like that at all.

Finally, she took a step and suddenly found herself outside the blizzard. It ended abruptly, and even more strangely, for no apparent reason. Raven shrugged that off and rubbed her eyes, then looked ahead of her.

There it was, the object Ruby had described to her. The top half of a sphere rose from the ground, made of layers upon layers of thick ice. It was partly see-through, but no matter how hard Raven tried, she couldn't make out anything past it.

"So there's someone inside," she mumbled to herself, recalling more of Ruby's account. "Not just anyone. You drew her here, and I suspect you created this place. Did you also imprison yourself?" Raven frowned. It was an odd theory, but it didn't that that outrageous. Whoever it was could have put this wall around themselves as a sort of punishment, because of how they saw themselves before they fell asleep.

Or – and Raven hoped she had been right with her first theory – they had been imprisoned by someone else. Someone powerful enough to manipulate the dreamscape. Someone like her, Yang, and Cinder.

Probably the latter.

"Whoever you are, regardless of why you're there," Raven put a hand against the ice. "I'm getting you out."

Ruby had tried to brute force her way through the sphere, and it had amounted to nothing. Raven would take a more thought out approach, using her magic to her advantage. She concentrated, building up heat in her hand. The air shimmered around her, and vapor started to rise from the ice.

An invisible force hit her, pushing her away from the sphere and almost bringing her to her knees. Raven gasped. The only other time she had felt something like this had been in her last fight with the Dragon, when they had clashed magic against magic. It shook her to her core, affecting her in a way nothing else ever had.

Her second theory was right.

Growling, she stood up and slammed both of her hands against the ice, exerting even more of her power. This time, when the invisible force struck back, she stayed in place, fixing her feet firmly on the ground. Sweat poured down her forehead, and her body screamed in protest of what she was doing, but she could feel the ice giving way bit by bit.

Suddenly, she stopped, noticing something else had changed. At the other side of the sphere, the shape of a palm appeared, pressed against the ice. A soft glow emanated from it, whiter than even the blizzard surrounding the prison.

"Yes," Raven grinned in success. "Keep going. We can do-"

She was interrupted by a strange noise behind her, like that of a bonfire lighting and fading at the same instant. Raven turned around and came face to face with a raven-haired young woman with amber eyes.

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting each other yet, sister.," the stranger said, smiling wryly. "Cinder. And you are Raven, are you not?"

Raven went from shocked to furious, gripping her sword tightly with both hands. "You dare appear before me after all this time, with that smile on your face, calling me _sister_?" Her eyes flared red. "After you killed two of my dearest friends?!"

"Now, now. I did kill Taiyang, but he put himself in my way needlessly. I had no intention of hurting him, but he gave me no choice in the end," Cinder said. "And Summer? Technically, she is not dead. She is… a part of me, now. Just as I am a part of her."

"If you think you are in any way similar to Summer, you do not know the first thing about her," Raven spat. "I will make you suffer, you pathetic excuse of a witch."

Cinder's smile grew, but whatever little levity there had been in her eyes was now substituted by a raging inferno. "Then come take a bite of me, sister."

Raven dashed at her, swinging her sword in a wide arc, but the attack availed to nothing, as Cinder disappeared without a trace. Something struck her in the low of her back, and pain flowed through her in relentless waves, as if every bone in her body was shattering.

Cinder reappeared in front of her, nonchalant in her posture, and brought her right foot up in a kick to her chin. Raven fell on her back, dizzy. A metallic taste filled her mouth, and she soon was spitting out trickles of blood on the snow.

She was brought back up to her knees by the collar of her shirt. Raven had vanquished hordes of Grimm all by herself. She had fought the Dragon at his fullest and been cursed by him. She had lived alone for years in a nonsensical land. But she had never been as terrified as she was now, with Cinder glaring down at her with the intensity to melt iron.

"I'm not arrogant, Raven., at least not enough to claim this land is mine to control," Cinder said cuttingly. "But I have known it for a _long_ time. Longer than you can imagine. And I've been growing my powers ever since I was a child – not to mention how much I've learned about the nature of our gifted birthrights. So I find it… cute, that you thought you could fight me here," she chuckled. "Compared to me, you are nothing but a helpless little girl."

Raven lowered her head for a moment, then looked up again, giving her a smile reddened by blood. "May be so. But, as powerful as you are, aren't you the one scared to death of little girls?" She leaned forward a little and whispered. " _The Reaper is coming._ "

Cinder's face contorted with fury, and she smacked Raven in the face with the back of her hand. Raven spat more blood, but kept her smile.

"Do you know why I let you live free here for seventeen years? Because my brother – _our_ brother, I suppose, though you two had a far more… _intriguing_ relationship – had a soft spot for you. The moment he learned of your existence, he was enraptured. He wanted nothing more than to join with you and strengthen his lineage," Cinder said. "I tried to warn the fool. I saw the company you kept, and how they affected you, made you reject your own birthright. But he didn't listen, and that was his downfall," she sighed. "Oh well. I only hope his daughter will be wiser than he was."

Raven's smile broke, and she opened her mouth to utter a threat, but Cinder crouched and put a finger on her lips.

"Say another word, and I will tear your ear off your head and feed it to you," Cinder warned. "And if I ever catch you trying to break my prisoner out again… I will do the same, but to Yang. Understood?"

Grudgingly, Raven nodded. Cinder patted her on the head and stood back up.

"Good girl," Cinder said. "Now, I have other matters to attend to. For your sake, I hope we never see each other again." She gestured with her hands and disappeared in a spiral of fire.

Raven let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been keeping. She looked back at the frozen prison. She could see that hand pressed against the ice, asking for help.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her blood taint the snow red around her. "But you're on your own."

* * *

Cinder opened her eyes, a malicious smile gracing her features. "There. It's been taken care of."

Emerald returned from the door, looking at her with a mixture of awe and fear. The girl still had no idea of the extent of her powers. Cinder had to give her credit for still being loyal to her after all this time.

"Now where were we, again?" Cinder asked.

"I asked if I should begin preparation, ma'am." Emerald said in a low voice, her eyes avoiding Cinder entirely.

"Yes. Gather as many troops as you think we can afford," Cinder replied, her eyes narrowing threateningly. "And be careful. This is the night we remind everyone who this city belongs to. Errors will _not_ be forgiven."

"Y-yes, Lady Rose."

Emerald turned and left the room in a hurry, leaving Cinder alone once again, leaning back on her throne to wait as the night went on.

* * *

Blake's eyes scanned the castle, her faunus heritage allowing her to see in the dark. As inconvenient as having to always come here at midnight was, that was the easiest opportunity she had to infiltrate the castle without being seen and putting their insider allies at risk.

Tonight, the Guard seemed laxer than usual, leaving large blind spots in their routes, and there was only a couple of soldiers at the front gate. That was even stranger considering the commotion that had happened last week – surely, Cinder would have commanded the Guard to work their hardest because of it?

The whole thing seemed like a trap to Blake, but she couldn't go back to the hideout without investigating further. What if something had happened inside the castle? What if Cinder has lost control of the council? That would be an opportunity to take back the throne they could not afford to miss.

She made her way to the walls, completely engulfed in the shadows. She could hear the murmuring of the guards and the crunching of gravel beneath their feet as they made their patrols. Her heart beat fast in her chest, as it always did, but she was more than accustomed to it by now. It was a sort of comfort, a reminder that she was still alive and breathing.

She jumped and grabbed on to the looser stones on the wall, then slowly climbed her way up. Once she was at the top, Blake looked from right to left to make sure no one was coming her way, then somersaulted and landed crouching down.

The courtyard was just as badly guarded, darkness covering it save for a couple spots where soldiers were standing at attention. Blake frowned, thinking that maybe it was better to leave, after all. Things were far too suspicious for her taste.

She was beginning to turn around when something strange drew her attention at the corner of her vision. She leaned forward a little, squinting, and saw a human shape resting against a tree. Whoever it was didn't seem to be moving at all, but… there was something familiar about them.

Cursing under her breath, Blake jumped and slid down the wall. She would just check really quickly, then climb back up and leave. Like Ruby had told her just that morning: better safe than sorry.

She approached the tree slowly, her eyes darting everywhere in wait of an ambush, but she made it there safe and sound. She looked down and her breath caught in her throat. It was Neptune, lying there with his shirt soaked red in the area of his chest.

"Neptune!" She whispered, kneeling in front of him and shaking him by the shoulder. "Damnit, what happened?"

Blake pressed her ear to his chest and heard for his heartbeat. It was faint and infrequent, but it was still there. Cursing under her breath, she stood up again and looked around.

Whatever had happened, she couldn't just leave him where he was. From the look of his wound, it was already a miracle he was still alive. She had to save him, not just to hear an explanation, but also because if he had been discovered, it had been her who had put him in danger in the first place.

"Come on," she bent down and grabbed him, putting him on her back and wrapping his arms around her torso. To her surprise and relief, he responded by murmuring something unintelligible and clinging on tighter. "Let me get you out of this mess."

* * *

Blake entered the hideout with Neptune in her arms. In the entrance room, Ozpin, Nora and Ren were sitting around a table, but as soon as they saw them, they jumped to their feet.

"What the hell?!" Nora yelled. "I didn't know we could bring homeless people here!"

"This is prince Neptune Vasilias, from Atlas," Ozpin explained briefly, approaching Blake. "How bad is he injured?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you could treat him." Blake said.

"Come. Let's lay him down somewhere comfortable."

She followed him into a spare room, where they put him down on a bed. Ozpin raised his shirt, revealing a hole in his midsection. There was dry blood all around it, interestingly enough, mixed in with something… green?

"Is he… infected?" Blake asked, trying not to show how horrified she was.

"I don't think so," Ozpin shook his head. "He's not bleeding. Not anymore. This is…"

"Moondome herbs," Ren spoke, having followed them into the room. "They are used to halt the immediate progress of wounds, at least for a while. People of lesser resistance may also suffer unconsciousness as a result of it."

"Well, he is a prince. I doubt he's that resistant to diseases," Blake said. "For how long will he be like that? We need to find out what happened to him."

"That depends from person to person," Ozpin replied. "All we can do is prepare his treatment while we wait for the moondome's effect to wear out," he looked at Blake. "You should tell the Queen about this. She is friends with the prince, or at least she used to be."

Blake nodded, then left and headed to Weiss' room. On the way there, she passed by Ruby, who waved and smiled at her. Blake opened her mouth to tell her what was happening, but the redhead was already gone.

Chalking up Ruby's behavior to their currently strange relationship, Blake continued on her way. When she entered Weiss' room, she found her taking measured steps on her own, looking mightily concentrated on the task.

"You're making progress." Blake said.

Weiss yelped and returned to her bed, her face red with embarrassment. "Ah, yes. Thank you, Blake," she said awkwardly. "What brings you here?"

"I found prince Neptune injured on the courtyard of the castle and brought him back so Ozpin could take a look at him," Blake explained. "Apparently, someone used a strange herb on him before I found him, so he's fine, but unconscious."

"What?" Weiss frowned. "That is _a lot_ to take in."

"Sorry. Ozpin thought you would like to know."

Weiss looked down at her feet, deep in thought. "I'll see him when he's awake," she muttered. "Is no one safe anymore? What about Lady Goodwitch?"

Blake shrugged, wishing she knew what to say. They would only know the answer to that question when Neptune got better.

The door opened, and Ruby peered inside and slip in, then closed it behind her. "Hey, girls!" She exclaimed cheerfully.

Blake raised an eyebrow at her, while Weiss showed no reaction.

"So, what's new?" Ruby asked. "Sounds like trouble's brewing. Again."

"It's… complicated." Blake sighed, exhausted of delivering bad news.

Ruby went and wrapped her arms around her, resting her head on Blake's arm, as if to comfort her. The faunus first instinct was to push her away, but she soon relaxed and let the hug last. Weiss coughed and looked away.

Slowly, Blake closed her eyes and lowered her head, her nose brushing against Ruby's hair.

Her eyes shot open. That wasn't Ruby's smell. Ruby smelled like roses and the summer breeze. Now she smelled like…

Their eyes met, and Blake saw as Ruby noticed that she _knew_ something was off. In the next second, she was hit in the head by something metallic, and she fell to the ground.

Weiss jumped to her feet and stared at the scene in outrage. "Ruby! Why would you-"

The sound of a explosion rang through the hideout, followed by the yells of many of their allies. The rattling of spears and swords came closer and closer. Weiss went to the door, but suddenly found a pistol aimed at her forehead.

"One wrong move, princess," Emerald Sustrai said. "And you're dead."

* * *

Ruby ducked under a bullet and pressed herself to a wall, covering her mouth with her cloak to protect herself from the smoke.

The soldiers had come without warning, swarming through the entrance and attacking at once. She had been passing by casually, only to witness Nora being backed into a corner by a dozen spearmen at once.

Ruby had tried to stop her, but Nora had fished a concoction from her belt and thrown to the ground. What followed was nothing but a mess, as people went flying through the air and rock started to collapse from the ceiling, dust and smoke filling the air.

She saw glimpses of Nora, Ren, Ozpin, and even Penny fighting the intruders, but it was an uncoordinated fight, and Ruby had a higher priority in mind. Though she was disoriented and utterly clueless about what was going on, she headed straight to Weiss' room.

Before she could get there, a silhouette appeared in front of her, and a foot was planted in her face, breaking her nose and sending her reeling back. Mercury appeared in the smoke, leaping at her and preparing another kick, this one aimed at her neck.

Ruby rolled under him and stood back up. "How did you get out?!" She shouted, turning to face him. "Did you hurt anyone? _Tell me_!"

"This is a favor for a friend. Nothing personal." Mercury said, closing on her again.

Ruby blocked his kick with her arms, her bones aching at the powerful impact. Her scythe and her speed were of little help in such an enclosed space, and she had never been that good at arm-to-arm combat. That had always been more Yang's specialty. If only she could find her now…

She backed up, always dancing out of range of his attacks, but Mercury was relentless, and Ruby had felt enough already to know how damaging a hit from him could be. It was no wonder that he was such a famed assassin.

Eventually, she found herself backed into a wall. Her only option now was to put herself at risk and take the offensive. Yelling, she sprinted forward, aiming a punch at his face, but Mercury grabbed her wrist and slammed her to the ground, her momentum only adding more injury to the impact.

Ruby grunted and spun on the ground, trying to kick him in the legs and knock him off balance, but he jumped over the attack and landed on her back. Ruby screamed in pain, tears forming in her eyes.

There was another explosion, and the whole building rumbled and shook. Losing his balance, Mercury jumped off of her and braced himself against a wall. Taking the opportunity, Ruby jumped to her feet and swung at him again, hitting him in the back. Unfortunately, it barely fazed him, while she felt a spike of pain go through her from hand to shoulder.

Mercury spun around and glared at her, raising a fist. He swung, but before the punch connected, a bullet penetrated his torso from the side and he fell, screaming.

"Help her, Velvet!" Coco emerged from the smoke, pointing a pistol at Mercury. "Go! The building's going to collapse!"

Velvet appeared at Ruby's side, urging her to move, but Ruby shook her head and refused to budge. "Wait! I have to get the Queen!"

"Damnit!" Coco spat, then kicked Mercury in the chin, rendering him unconscious. "Alright. Velvet, you go, and I'll help her find the royal brat."

"No way!" Velvet exclaimed vehemently. "I'm not leaving any of you behind!"

Ruby let out an exasperated breath, then shoved Velvet in Coco's direction. The soldier took the hint and lifted her friend by the waist, then marched away, even as Velvet hit her in protest.

"Weiss!" Ruby called out, waving the smoke away from her eyes. "Weiss!"

A chunk of the ceiling came down right in front of her, almost blocking the hallway. Ruby squeezed through a space in the debris, her cloak tearing in the process, but she didn't care, not at that moment.

"Weiss!" She screamed again, growing more desperate by the second.

"Ruby!" Finally, her friend's voice reached her from somewhere close in front of her. "Help!"

Ruby ran forward and found Weiss on the ground, her leg caught beneath the remains of a collapsed wall. She was trying to pull herself away, but to no avail.

"Weiss, stay calm!" Ruby kneeled beside her and rummage through the rocks as fast as possible. "I'll get you out of there!"

"Be faster!" Weiss yelled. "I'm not dying today, you hear me?!"

Ruby grunted, pushing the last rock away. Weiss came free, backing away and gasping in relief.

"How's that for a bodyguard?" Ruby grinned, looking at her gleefully.

"Thanks, Ruby," Weiss said. "But you still have to get me out of here. This place isn't safe."

Just as she finished the phrase, more of the ceiling started to come down in front and behind them, blocking any route of escape. Ruby's face paled, and she started spinning around, trying to device any way for them to survive.

Meanwhile, Weiss stayed silent, staring at her fixedly. Finally, she shook her head and raised a hand, aiming a pistol at her head. Ruby turned to look, her eyes wide and mouth agape. "W-Weiss?"

"You haven't figured it out?" Weiss rolled her eyes. "And Lady Rose is so scared of you…"

Her form shimmered, and Emerald took her place. Ruby glared at her. "What did you do to Weiss?"

"Oh, don't worry. She's alive and on her way to where she belongs," Emerald said. "Your little faunus girlfriend led us right to you. I wonder where she is right now… Probably squashed under a rock. How sad," she sighed. "I guess the same's gonna happen to us soon. Just let me do you a favor and end this fast for you…"

Looking at the barrel of the gun, Ruby's fury turned into something else. A cold feeling, a calm that overtook everything else and told her exactly what to do.

Her hand rose, and in the blink of an eye, she had it pointed at Emerald. The trickster's eyes widened in shock, and that moment, she understood her mistress's reason for being afraid of this girl.

"No," Ruby said. "No one is dying today."

* * *

Blake jumped from rooftop to rooftop, running as fast as possible to catch up with the salvo of soldiers carrying Weiss away. She could still hear the noble's enraged demands for them to put her down, and that only made her move even faster.

Finally, she saw them on the street just below her, and dropped from the building she was, landing right on top of one of the soldiers. Not wasting a second, she leaped at a second one, burying a dagger in his neck and shoving him on the mud.

The remaining soldiers reacted almost immediately, charging at her at once. Blake jumped out of reach of their weapons, panting hard. Her vision was doubling constantly and her head was pounding. Emerald had hit her hard just enough to leave a lasting, painful effect, but not knock her out – probably not by design, but because she had underestimated how strong Blake was.

"Blake!" Weiss was being held by her arms by two of the soldiers. She was trashing against their hold without stop, and from the look on their faces, that was proving to be quite a big problem.

"Hold on!" Blake yelled, backing away from the soldiers surrounding her. "I'm gonna save you, Weiss! Just hold-"

The sound of a bullet parting the air rang through the street, and one of the soldiers fell to the ground, blood spurting from her neck. More bullets followed, and in a matter of seconds, each and every one of the guardsmen was dead.

Weiss was now on the ground, breathing hard. She looked at Blake, asking a silent question that was soon answered when a man emerged from a dark alleyway, his eyes hidden behind a bestial mask that covered half his face.

"Well, well," Adam Taurus whistled. "Looks like today is my lucky day."

* * *

 **Because no plan ever goes completely right, both for the good and the bad guys.  
**

 **I'd like to take a moment to apologize for the infrequent uploads. I feel like I kinda dropped the ball with this story in the latter half of 2016. This really should have been finished a long time ago, but I was really lazy and focused much more on _The Legend of Remnant_. I know a lot of people like this story, so I'm really, really sorry I did that! And thank you for everyone who stuck around anyway!**

 **Anyways. I'm actually organizing myself properly now, so the next chapter won't take two months to upload. This time, I _really_ mean it. But you know what's better than promises? Actual results. So... see ya on the 15th. Mark the date, folks.**

 **Oh, and I wish you all a wonderful 2017!**

 **-Zeroan**


	26. Eradication

The remains of the tower lay in the ground, the city walls crumbling and falling to pieces around it. The air was filled with dust and smoke, carrying a horrible acrid smell.

Yang rose to her feet, straightening her eyes to peer through the smoke. She saw Nora and Penny kneeling on the ground nearby. Neither looked hurt, thankfully. Ren was not far from them, laying down a still unconscious Neptune. Ozpin stood silent, just looking at the ruins, gripping a pistol fiercely in his hand.

"Ruby," Yang said, a terrible sensation sinking in her stomach. "Ruby! Did anyone see my sister?!"

A hand fell on her shoulder, and Yang turned to see Coco looking at her solemnly. Behind her, Velvet was shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"She stayed behind to rescue the Queen," Coco said. "I tried to convince her otherwise, but she insisted."

Yang stared at her for a long time, not showing any reaction. "What are you saying?" She finally spoke, her voice void of any emotion. She knew the answer already, but she didn't want to believe it.

"We haven't seen her since," Coco looked away. "I'm… so sorry."

Yang lowered her head and turned completely silent, even as her fists trembled at her sides.

Ozpin forced his gaze away from the tower and turned to what was left of his allies. He looked weary and desolated, but there still remained some resolve in his eyes. "Is anybody else unaccounted for?"

"I saw Blake run past us and out the building before it collapsed," Nora spoke up. "I think she was chasing after some soldiers, and she looked really desperate."

"That rascal Mercury should be mush under the rocks by now," Coco said. "However did he get out, anyway? I know it's not my place to critique, considering my circumstances, but…"

"We can discuss how this happened later," Ozpin objected firmly. "First, we need to find somewhere safe to lay low. It's but a matter of time before more of Cinder's forces come our way, not to mention curious townsfolk. Does anyone have an idea of where to go?"

"Didn't Sun mention a house we could use for emergencies?" Nora frowned. "I can't remember where that is, though…"

"Brittle Alley. The yellow house with the chalk monkey drawn on the wall." Yang said mechanically, her posture not shifting for a second.

"Good. We make it there, treat Neptune, track down Blake," Ozpin said. "…and figure out the next step, without…" His voice died off as he glanced again at the ruins.

As if awoken by his words, Yang suddenly began to move, marching towards the rubble without explanation. She bent down and began to pull at the rocks, tearing them apart one by one and slamming them on the ground in another pile beside her.

The group shared a few silent glances, then Ozpin nodded and moved to stand behind her. "Yang. We must go before more trouble arrives," he said softly. "We can look for them later, once we're safe."

"And what if that's too late?" Yang muttered.

"Yang. The entire building collapsed. The chance of someone surviving…"

"I don't give a damn about chance. I've lost my sister once already – that is _not_ happening again. I'm not leaving until she's safe in my arms," she said. "You can go. I understand. I'll try to find Weiss too."

Ozpin paused, his stalwart posture giving way to vulnerability for the briefest of moments. As he opened his mouth to speak again, Yang turned to look at him, revealing eyes as red as blood.

" _Leave_."

Ozpin stirred. He had learned to resist Cinder Fall's magic, but he had never prepared himself to fight it coming from Yang. It felt unrefined, wilder, and in some ways even more sinister.

"As you wish." He said, turning around and walking away. The rest of the group followed him, Ren and Nora carrying Neptune together in their arms, leaving Yang alone to claw her way furiously through the ruined tower.

* * *

Weiss' head throbbed with a terrible headache as she finally woke up. She was being forced to stand upright, her wrists and ankles tied by rope to a wooden post behind her. Her hair was a sticky mess – she could feel blood running from the back of her head and down her neck.

She opened her eyes and found herself in a room illuminate only by a wavering candle post. The walls were made of unpolished rock, with a thin sheet of water at the surface. Underground, perhaps, but where?

It took her a while to spot the person tied up just like her, a few steps to her right, and even more time to realize it was none other than Blake. The faunus was unconscious, her head hanging low, chest rising and falling almost imperceptibly.

"Blake!" Weiss called in a loud whisper. "Wake up!"

Blake didn't as much as shift in her sleep. Weiss cursed under her breath. If only Blake were awake, she would surely be able to free herself using her supernatural abilities.

The thought reminded Weiss of her own magic, but when she tried to call upon it, her head began to hurt even more, and she felt pain spike through her torso. She hoped her gunshot wound hadn't opened somehow, or else she'd be dealing with severe blood loss.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, deciding that lamenting about her current position was useless – until Blake woke up, there was nothing to be done about it.

Inevitably, her thoughts wandered to her allies and friends, back in the hideout. She hadn't been able to see discern much of what had been happening, as Emerald had done a number on her, then handed her over to one of Cinder's soldiers to be taken to the castle. But she knew there had been explosions and gunshots all around. Had anyone been hurt? And had they figured out Emerald's trickery?

Minutes turned into hours. The pain subsided somewhat, allowing her more room to think and breathe, but it was still too much for her to summon her magic. Blake remained unresponsive. Weiss began to fear the worst.

Finally, a door opened. For a second or two, light flooded inside the room, then a man wearing a Grimm half-mask entered. He carried a long one-sided sword in his hand, which he leaned against a wall before stepping close to her.

"Weiss Schnee. Funny that it took so long for us to meet face to face," he said, smirking. "We share so much history, after all."

"You… you're the head of the White Fang, aren't you?" Weiss asked, glaring fiercely at him. "You're the one who ordered my parents _murdered_ in cold blood."

"Please. Don't undersell me," Adam bowed his head mockingly. "I was far more involved than just giving the orders."

Weiss tried to lunge at him, but the ropes held firm, and her wound flared with pain. She bit on her tongue and held back her tears, refusing to show him any weakness.

"Go on," she said. "I'm sure you have a lot more to brag about."

"I will admit, you Schnees have pride. I'll give you that," Adam chuckled. "But that didn't save you or your friends, now did it?"

"Taunt me as much as you want," Weiss smiled weakly. "Take your time. When they come to rescue me, you'll realize how laughably empty your posturing was."

"Let them come. I am more than prepared," he said. "The White Fang has existed since before your parents were born. We aren't just a bunch of fugitive slaves in rags, raising pitchforks at the nobility. No. Your rebel pawns are no worry of mine."

His words caused even more fury to bubble up inside her. _Rebel pawns_. The contempt was so clear in his voice. She shouldn't be offended he thought of her that way, but she couldn't stop herself from feeling the way she felt.

"You want your throne back. As if it ever belonged to you in the first place," Adam said. "You think you have any right to rule over this city? This kingdom? The faunus were the ones to build the walls that kept you safe and warm. It was our blood and sweat that made this forsaken home possible. And to this day, we keep Vale running. We are its masons; its miners; its farmhands; its servants," he shook his head. "But that doesn't matter, all because somewhere along the way, one of you pampered fools decided you were better than us. That your lineage was truer and that only it deserved to enjoyed the fruits of _our_ labor."

Despite her promise to remain strong, Weiss found herself recoiling at his every word, as if they struck her very core. She knew he was a madman, grasping for any explanation for his bloodlust, yet in a way, she thought… perhaps he was right. Perhaps she didn't have any true claim to the throne. Where was her proof? What made her so special among so many incredible individuals?

"You talk a lot of shit for someone who hasn't done anything but kill people for more than half his life."

Blake's voice cut through the silence like a chilling knife. Her amber eyes were set intensely on Adam, while her lips formed a displeased hard line.

"The problem with you and the White Fang is that you think you can represent all faunus. You can't," she said. "I know it may sound shocking to you, but most people aren't ready to shed blood – both their own and some made-up enemy's – even if they were abused and beaten and treated like the scorn of the world. Most people just want to be free…" she lowered her eyes. "… not just from some cage, but from the suffering." She looked up again. "Your fight is just another form of slavery."

Adam seemed truly speechless for a moment, but before long, he turned to her with a sneer. "And who are you to say anything? Your hands are as red as mine, Blake. What sets us apart is that I'm not ashamed to admit it."

"Yes. I am ashamed," Blake nodded. "Tell me how that's a bad thing."

Adam approached her, lifting her chin with a hand. "You had so much potential, Blake. And you wasted it all fighting for someone who would have you serve her wine, tend to her appearance, entertain her guests…" He scoffed. "Is that who you are, Blake?"

"I'm free," Blake replied, breaking a smile. "Freer than you'll ever be, probably."

Adam's face turned a slight shade of red, and his knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists. Weiss tensed up, expecting him to hit Blake. A moment later, he let out a heavy breath, then took several steps back.

"Shame. I was hoping you would come around, Blake. But now I see you're lost. I'll have to think of what to do with you later," Adam said. His eyes turned back to Weiss. "As for you, princess. Don't wait for your rescue party. You and I will be making a visit to town soon, to put on a little show for the people," he smiled humorlessly. "It will be very, how to put it… nostalgic. For both of us."

He turned and exited the room, leaving them alone in the candlelight. Silently, Blake used her abilities to escape from her constraints, then went behind Weiss and helped her out of theirs. The royals started to collapse immediately, but Blake caught her before she hit the ground and laid her down gently.

"Thank you, Blake." Weiss said.

"For what?" The faunus muttered. "Not letting you crack your skull just now?"

"No," Weiss shook her head slowly. "For everything. Thank you."

"That's not necessary," Blake said. "If anything, I should be the one doing the thanking. I did try to kill you a couple of times."

"And didn't I fight back?" Weiss smiled. "I think we see eye to eye, don't we? I never thought I'd trust a faunus like I do you. And I know things won't always be this easy. I can't think of your kind without being reminded of how my parents were killed – and I'm sure every time you look at me, you're reminded of everything _my_ kind has put your through," she paused. "But I'm willing to compromise. This isn't something you give up on because of past grievances."

Blake stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "I can agree with that."

They sat in their prison in silence for a while, just listening to the sounds of their own breathing and droplets of water falling off the wall to the floor. Despite their being imprisoned in an unknown location, with no idea of their future and the well-being of their friends, they found peace. For the first time, Weiss thought she fully understood why Blake prized her freedom so much.

"Weiss," Blake spoke up eventually. "What did Adam mean by putting on a show, and it being nostalgic?"

Weiss closed her eyes. "Isn't it obvious?" She said. "He means to publicly execute me, as he did my mother and father."

* * *

Ruby pushed against the wardrobe as hard as she could, her arms shaking from the effort, but it refused to budge. Laid in a diagonal angle against the wall, the object had protected her and Emerald from the collapsing of the tower, but now they were stuck, as rubble blocked the openings to either side of them, as well as weighted down the wardrobe.

"You know, this would be a lot easier if you helped me out a little." Ruby pointed out through gritted teeth.

Emerald looked at her lazily, then rolled her eyes. "I never asked for this. You just delayed the inevitable," she said. "Besides, what do you expect will happen, somehow, you push this thing away from us?"

Ruby opened her mouth to retort, then realized that if she did move the wardrobe, the rubble would fall on them and they would probably be lucky to survive that. "You could have said something before we got stuck this way!"

"Oh, let me repeat myself: _I. Never. Asked for this._ "

Ruby grunted in frustration. What was she supposed to do now? If only she could turn into a mole and dig her way out of this mess…

"You still have the pistol," Emerald said nonchalantly. "Just putting that out there. Might be convenient sometime."

"I don't get you. I really don't," Ruby muttered. "This is all your fault. You infiltrated our hideout and led a bunch of stupid soldiers here. You kidnapped the Queen! And now you keep telling that you want to die or something? It doesn't make any sense."

"I didn't _want_ to do any of this, not any more than I wanted to be a homeless thief. It's all because of circumstance. I got involved in something too big, and…" Emerald stopped, realizing she had talked too much already.

"And what?" Ruby asked, leaning closer. "Tell me. I want to help. Promise."

"I don't need your help!" Emerald exclaimed, backing away until she had her back against the rubble blocking the way out. "D-damnit, you look just like her…"

Ruby blanched, at once aware of what was happening. Well, that was one way of making things awkward. "You mean Cin- Summer? She's got you under her spell?"

"She's…" Emerald blushed. "Intoxicating…"

" _Right_ ," Ruby cleared her throat. "Uhm, she's not my real mother. She stole her body to get into the Vale court and all that. Her real name is Cinder Fall, and she's a really bad witch."

Emerald stared at her in outrage, but her expression slowly mellowed, showing doubt and a great deal of horror. Ruby sighed inward, relieved that the thief's reaction wasn't violent in any way.

"I've done things for her I wouldn't normally do. Not that I'm a saint. Not at all…" Emerald frowned. "But usurping thrones; killing royals? That's not my style. But I… I just need to do these things, to please her and…"

"I get it," Ruby said softly. "It's not your fault, then. So how about, instead of you giving up and… killing yourself… we help each other get out of here, and then you never have to see her again?"

"She'll find me," Emerald whispered. "I know she will."

"Not if she's dead, she won't." Ruby stated, surprising Emerald with how dark she sounded.

"…Alright," the thief said. "What do we do?"

* * *

A bright light shone in Weiss' face, startling her out of her half-asleep state. Adam marched in and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her up roughly. "Time to go, princess."

Weiss punched and kicked at him, but he wasn't fazed. Blake jumped to her feet and snarled at him. "Let her go, Adam, or I swear…"

"Take her!" Adam shouted, and three more White Fang members entered the room and made to grab her, but Blake danced out of their reach, tapping into her powers. "Be cooperative, Blake, or else the royal brat gets an early beheading."

Blake shot him a piercing glare, letting the men grab her without struggling.

"What are you going to do her, you maniac?" Weiss asked, shaking with anger.

"The same thing I'll do to you, with a little less show. It is _your_ day after all, princess," Adam said. "Examples must be made."

"Voices of dissent must be quieted," Weiss spat. "You're afraid of what she has to say. Admit it."

"The only thing I'm afraid of, princess, is not savoring the moment of your death for as long as I might," he chuckled. "Come on. We have places to be."

* * *

The throne room was abuzz with activity. Nobles and commoners alike were flooding the castle, bringing news and complaints about a new breach in the city walls, near the northwest watchtower. No Grimm had yet entered the city, but people knew it was inevitable that an invasion would happen, sooner or later.

The whole affair frustrated Cinder to no end. A breach in the wall, caused by an explosion? It could only mean one thing. Emerald had found the rebels, and mayhem had followed. But if that was the case, where was she now? More importantly, where was Weiss Schnee?

A guardsman broke through the crowd, shoving people aside to reach the center of the room. "The White Fang has taken the town square!" He announced at his loudest voice. "Their leader has the Queen at sword point, and is about to execute her!"

As panic levels reached a new height around her, Cinder's blood ran cold. She stared ahead of her blankly for but a moment, then rose from her throne and started towards the exit.

"Gather _every_ guard at our disposal! I don't give a damn about the castle's defenses, we must rescue the Queen!" She shouted over the cacophony of voice. "Equip yourselves with the best weapons we have! And, for the love of whatever god you pray to, do not-"

She was interrupted by the deafening sound of the double doors of the throne room slamming shut, seemingly of their own accord. Silence reigned, until the people gathered there looked up and saw shining purple glyphs come to life in the wooden material, spinning and keeping the doors closed.

"You are going nowhere, Usurper." Glynda Goodwitch's voice echoed through the room.

Cinder spun around and met eyes with the noblewoman. The crowd had parted before them, leaving a large empty space between the two women.

"Of course. I should have seen this coming," Cinder said, not caring about the onlookers. "You fell so easily to my charms, something had to be wrong. But I am curious. How come you have magic, Goodwitch? What great house do you descend from?"

"None that is remembered. None that matters. Unlike you, Fall, I have no delusions of grandeur," Glynda said. "My home is Vale. This is the land I swore to protect, and you are a blight upon it. Stand down, or be reduced to nothing."

"Well, then," Cinder cracked her knuckles. "I always welcome a challenge."

Without warning, she punched forward, launching a barrage of fire at the noblewoman's direction. Glynda raised a hand and summoned a glyph in front of herself that parted the flames harmlessly around her. The crowd shouted in fright and awe at the unprecedented display of power happening before them.

Glynda flicked her wrist, and her glyph was reduced to a single glimmering orb, which then separated into six strings of light that flew towards Cinder, arcing and spinning around themselves. Cinder jumped, temporarily floating in midair, and moved her body to narrowly dodge the projectiles, which struck the ceiling and faded away.

As Cinder came back down, she ignited her hands and accelerated her descent greatly. The impact of her landing cracked the floor and caused pieces of the tiles to be launched up. Cinder slapped one of them, setting it on fire and sending it to Glynda at high speed.

Glynda barely had time to block the projectile with one of her glyphs, but the attack proved to be only a distraction, as Cinder closed the distance between them in a matter of seconds and kicked her across the face. Glynda stumbled back in a daze, blood spurting from her mouth and falling on the ground.

"Good warm-up," Cinder said, raising a fist. "Now be inci-"

A string of purple light wrapped around her wrist and pulled her violently, slamming her to the ground. She tried getting back up, but something was pressing her down with unbearable pressure.

Glynda stepped towards her, looking down at her with a solemn expression. "If you are still there somewhere, Rose," she said, lifting her arm. "I am sorry."

Cinder's fury burst to the surface, and she jumped to her feet, shattering the glyphs that had been holding her down. So fast Glynda couldn't even comprehend what was happening, she took hold of her by the shoulder and pulled her down to meet her knee face-first, then slammed her hands together on her back.

Glynda fell, shaking with pain. Not saying a word, Cinder pointed a palm at her and released a sphere that exploded directly on her back. Glynda's cry of pain lowered into a wimp, then nothing.

Cinder stood there for a while, breathing heavily. It had been a long time she had actually been forced to use her true power. Glynda had her worried for a second, but in the end, she proved no match for a Fall.

She looked back at the startled crowd. Gaps and whispers were bountiful. Her big secret was out, and surprisingly, she wasn't too upset about it. "Are you all going to just stand there and watch?" She asked in a commanding tone of voice. "Finish her off. I don't want a trace of her left when the Queen gets back home."

With that said, she turned and opened the doors, then marched away, her cloak billowing behind her.

* * *

"There," Ren said, applying the last layer of medicinal herbs to Neptune's wound. "He should be fine for a few days. But he'll need proper care soon, or else…"

"Yes," Ozpin nodded. "Good work, Mister Lie."

"It was nothing."

The mood was heavy in Sun's decrepit house. The new breach was causing a lot of commotion in the streets, as people fought to claim safe havens for their families. The last invasion had taught the citizens of Vale that no matter how distant they were from the source of the Grimm, the danger was very, very real. Surviving was a matter of fortification and trustworthy companions, and there was a shortage of those today.

But the rebels didn't give that much mind. Their thoughts were on their fallen comrades, and what to do now that they were gone. Ruby's death hit hard, but Weiss… Who were they now without her?

Sun had received them at his house and, after receiving the terrible news, had left to scour the city for signs of Blake and to gather Jaune, Sage and Scarlet. Nora was focusing her attentions on Penny and the prototype she had been working on for weeks, which thankfully, she had been able to grab before the hideout's collapse.

"Is this safe?" Ren asked as he approached them.

"Nothing is safe. Silly Ren," Nora remarked, her usual humor tainted by mourning. "But who is safer than an angel that flies through the skies?"

The wings now fully attached to her back, Penny took a step back and focused on the foreign new weight. Slowly, the mechanical wings spread to twice her height.

"How does it feel?" Nora asked.

"It feels strange. But not bad," Penny said. "Can I really fly with this?"

"That's the idea," Nora nodded. "But we can't test it today. Let's leave that for when things are…" she searched for a word that wouldn't sound nearly as bad as she thought their situation was. " _Nicer_."

"Alright," Penny folded her wings. "But I can keep them, at least? So I can used to having them on my back?"

"Sure. Just don't try anything silly."

Penny nodded enthusiastically, bringing a reluctant smile to Nora's and Ren's faces.

Not much time passed before they all heard the sound of someone on the roof, then Sun slipped in through a window. His tail was wiggling non-stop behind him, and his fingers were twitching in agitation.

"Everyone! We need to run to the town square! Weiss is alive, but the White had got her and Blake!" He exclaimed. "I think Adam Taurus is planning on executing them!"

The first to react was Ozpin, already collecting his pistol and sheathing it on his belt. "Grab your weapons. If you don' that one, take one once the fights starts," he said. "We go _now_."

Nora took out her hammer, while Ren checked for his twin pistols. Penny unfolded her wings and retrieved the blade she kept hidden in her right boot. Coco cracked her knuckles, then shot a look at Velvet.

"I'll stay behind," the rabbit faunus muttered. "To watch Neptune…"

"Good idea," Ozpin said. "Let's go."

* * *

The asphalt was hard on her knees, but Weiss didn't say a thing about it, keeping her chin raised and eyes fixed on the crowd before her. There were times when it had been expected of her to give big speeches to the masses and the nobility, to be the first to take a partner to dance in the castle's many festivities, to lead the prayer to the Moon and the Dragon. She always faced those moments with great anxiety.

How strange it was that now, during her own execution, she felt so calm. She had to admit to herself, rather shamefully, that it was almost a relief, to be finally freed from all her responsibilities, all agency and power she had as ruler of Vale. To be at the mercy of another's sword… Yes, it was almost a relief.

The only thing that bothered her now was the person kneeling right next to her. She had grown so accustomed to seeing Blake as this independent, fierce, at times antagonistic woman, that she had forgotten she hadn't been out of her cage for half a year yet. Weiss could see she was trying to hold herself together, but the tears were flowing nonetheless, and her whole body was being shaken by her sobs.

Weiss reached for her hand and enveloped it in her own. "Blake," she whispered. "It's alright. You can run. Go."

Blake managed to cease her crying for a moment and speak. "You heard what Adam said. They'll kill you if I try anything."

"So what? I'm dead anyway," Weiss said. "At least you'll have a chance to escape."

Blake closed her eyes and lowered her head, her lips trembling. Then she looked at her again and shook her head once. "No. I'm not a coward," she said resolutely. "I'm free."

They gripped each other's hand firmly and listened as Adam walked behind them, the air being cut by the sharp blade of his sword.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" He shouted, addressing the crowd. "You are about to witness the dawn of a new Vale! A Vale without corrupt human rulers! A Vale that embraces the people who make it what it is! Vale, as it is meant to be!"

"This is what you call a 'queen'!" He pointed the tip of his sword at Weiss' head. "A pampered, spoiled brat that hasn't worked a day in her life! She can sing and dance and look pretty, but she's empty, just like the promises she makes you! No more!"

Weiss braced herself, but the swing didn't come not yet.

"This! Oh, this!" The sword was now pointed at Blake. "This is you. All of you. The nothing this _queen_ wants you to be! A thing that is neither faunus nor human, a soulless shell that doesn't belong anywhere! A puppet to be used until its use is met and then thrown in the trash! No more!"

Adam raised his sword and pointed it at the crowd. "Today, we begin the eradication of this filth on Vale. But… with which do we start? Queen? Or thing?"

There were murmurs at first, then it progressed into arguments, then screaming and chanting. Weiss closed her eyes and pretended not to hear. She felt Blake beginning to shake again.

Then, the crowd suddenly went silent, staring at something behind Adam. Weiss turned her head to look and saw Cinder Fall standing there, a trail of dead White Fang members on her wake, with a blade aimed at the back of his head.

"How about we start…" she said. "With _you_?"

* * *

 **It's 23:50 pm on the 15th where I live. Told you guys I would do it! HAH! (pheeew, that was cutting it close)  
**

 **The story is reaching its conclusion, but there's a little more to go yet before we call it quits. I'm pretty excited to finally get to some stuff I've had planned since the beginning of the story! Yay!**

 **You know, this chapter reminded me of the good ol' days of writing Monochrome in everything. Ah. Great times. Fine times. Now it's all Ladybug and Freezerburn here, and White Rose elsewhere... I also miss writing Pyrrha! Gosh. Can I just revive her, please? And Qrow. Urgh. I want to revive everyone.**

 **I will now use what's left of this author's note to execute the infamous act of SELF PLUGGING!**

 **I've started a new story called _Ruby Rose: The Red Huntress_ , which is about Ruby (duh) as a superhero! It's a short story very, very much to the style of the MCU films, so if you like those, you might to check it out. And (and this is a secret that is not really a secret) it's just one installment in what will be a _very_ long series.**

 **SELF PLUGGING FINALIZED!**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be awesooome~ (on the 29th, of course. Mark the date!)**

 **-Zeroan**


	27. Defiance

"How about we start… with you?"

Adam spun just in time to block Cinder's sword with his own, the clash of the blades producing a shrill noise that rang through the town square. The crowd rose in an uproar and ran away in all directions, a sea of helpless townsfolk.

"How surprising," Adam said, showing a little smirk. "It had been so long since we met face to face, I was beginning to think you had grown scared of me."

He pulled back his sword and swung in a downward diagonal motion, aiming at her head, but Cinder raised her free hand and grasped his wrist, stopping him. She tilted her head slightly to the side, peering into his eyes with contempt.

"Your bravado won't save you, boy." She let go of his wrist and shoved him in the chest, sending him flying from the stage and down to the hard pavement below.

She took a step forward, then stopped abruptly and turned her head to look at Weiss, who was midway through getting up to run, and Blake, about to throw a dagger at her.

"Princess," Cinder pointed at Weiss and smiled warmly. "Stay there. And, if you please, keep a hold of Belladonna until I can deal with her."

Weiss froze for a brief second, then tackled Blake, pressing her to the ground with all her weight. Blake's dagger escaped her grip as she swung her hands at the queen's face, trying to get her off her, but it was useless.

Cinder hopped off the stage and walked slowly towards Adam, slashing at the air to flick off the blood on her sword. A gunshot rang, and her head snapped to the side as a bullet impacted her skull. She looked around and saw White Fang members coming at her from every direction, pointing guns and raising bladed weapons.

"Ah. I would have to dispose of your little rebellion one day," Cinder said. "Try to take me down, if you must. It is only convenient to me."

As they collapsed around her, the pavement was painted red.

* * *

The blizzard was seeping into the city from the new breach in the walls, bringing the temperature down to an unbearable level. From beyond the pale, shadows scurried about, Grimm waiting for the time to strike. Combined, the two were a recipe for disaster. If nothing was done about it soon, the city would plunge into chaos.

Yang didn't care about any of that. The only thing she cared about was pulverizing every obstacle she found in front of her. The ruins of the tower were being steadily reduced by her efforts, but it had been hours now, and there was no sign of her sister.

Hope. That was all she had left. What else could she have? The rebellion? Blake? Weiss? Ruby had been the one to bring them into her life. Without her, everything felt empty.

Just like before.

"Please," Yang gasped, falling to her knees and bracing herself against the floor. Her vision was obstructed by tears, and the red in her eyes was giving way to a morose purple. "Please. Not again. Don't leave me."

She slammed her hands down and sobbed, the dam finally breaking. There was no hope. And, unlike before, she didn't even have her rage to keep her going.

"Don't leave me."

Suddenly, something exploded within the ruins, sending rubble flying in all directions. Rocks immediately started slipping back to fill the void that was left, but for a moment, Yang saw something white there.

She jumped to her feet and leaped towards the area, reaching forward with a hand… and closed it around another one. With a yell, she pulled, and went stumbling back as the weight of a body struck her.

Yang fell sitting and looked up, and in that moment, her heart soared.

"Hey, Yang," Ruby waved weakly, looking back at the collapsing rubble. "That was risky. Good thing you were there."

"Ruby!" Yang jumped and hugged her, exerting more strength than was probably necessary. "I was so scared. Everyone thought you were a goner. Not me, though."

"We almost _were_ goners." Another voice butted in.

Yang turned and saw Emerald Sustrai standing shakily in the street, beating the dust off her attire. The blonde's eyes turned red, and she raised a fist to strike, but Ruby yelped and jumped between them.

"Wait! Emerald's good!" Ruby yelled. "She's just another one of Cinder's victims."

"Really?" Yang asked, not lowering her fist. "How convenient for her. Stuck under tons of rock, and suddenly she's a victim."

"Come on, Yang," Ruby said quietly. "What are you going to do to her?"

Yang paused, the tone of her sister's voice making her realize how aggressive she was being. She lowered her fist and took a step back, then looked at Emerald over Ruby's shoulder.

"Fine. You're free to go," Yang said. "But if I ever see you anywhere near my sister again, you better have a good explanation for it. Understood?"

"I have no problem with that," Emerald said. The air shimmered around her, and suddenly, she had changed into an elderly-looking woman. "Let's hope we never cross paths again."

She walked away, leaving Ruby and Yang standing alone in the ruins. The redhead looked around quizzically, then turned to her sister.

"Where's everyone?" She asked.

"They left for Sun's home." Yang said.

"What about Weiss?" Ruby insisted, her bodyguard duties jumping to the front of her mind. "Emerald tricked me into thinking she was her, so I assumed something bad happened to her."

"I don't know. She's missing," Yang answered. "Blake too."

Ruby was still for a moment, then she raised her chin and fixed her cloak straighter around her neck. "What are we waiting for, then? Let's find them."

* * *

The noise from the battle could be heard even before they got to the town square. Gunshots; blades clashing; screams of pain, terror and sorrow. Innocent bystanders ran past them, seeking refuge from the terrible mess.

Ozpin stepped into the square and faced the battle, taking in the sight of the White Fang and the Regent's enchanted soldiers tearing each other apart. The brutality at display was enough to make even his stomach turn.

"Well, sir," Coco said, stopping beside him. She was trying to maintain a brave face, but her voice was shaky. "I wasn't expecting this. What do we do?"

"What we always end up doing," Ozpin cocked his gun. "We fight."

He took aim and fired, taking down a White Fang spearman from afar. Not wasting a second, he began walking towards the heat of the battle, preparing his gun for another shot. The rest of his group – Coco, Nora, Ren, Penny and Sun – followed suit, bracing themselves for the upcoming bloodbath.

"So that's all you have to say?" Sun asked anxiously, holding his staff tightly in his hands. "We just fight?"

"No. Not just fight, but that is inevitable, no matter our objective," Ozpin said. "Find the Queen and protect her, if she is still alive. And if you see Cinder Fall…"

For a brief moment, the flow of the combatants revealed a sight of Cinder holding off five opponents at once, her sword arcing impossibly fast to block their attacks.

Ozpin paused, then raised his gun and headed towards the Regent. "…do everything in your power to kill her."

* * *

Yang opened Sun's front door and peered inside cautiously. Seeing nothing of interest in the darkness, she turned to look over her shoulder and nodded to her sister. Ruby stepped past her and entered the house, frowning a bit.

"Didn't you say everyone would be here?" She asked.

"That was the plan," Yang said. "Maybe they are all out searching for our missing friends?"

"Wouldn't they have left something behind to-" Ruby stopped talking when she heard a moan from a dark corner of the house. She looked at Yang with wide eyes and quickly shuffled behind her, suddenly not feeling very comfortable with where they were.

Yang waited a few seconds, then extended her right hand with her palm turned upwards and conjured a small flame, casting out the shadows around them. In the corner, they saw Velvet kneeling on the floor beside a passed-out Neptune.

"Oh," Ruby sighed, then puffed up her chest and walked to the faunus as if she hadn't been cowering in fear a second ago. "It's just Velvet and Neptune. No reason to be scared, Yang!"

"My hero," Yang said amusedly. "Velvet?"

Velvet turned her eyes away from Neptune and jumped away, only then realizing she wasn't alone anymore. "Y-Yang! Ruby! I-I didn't realize you were – wait, Ruby? I thought you were…"

"Dead?" Ruby shrugged. "I know this kind of conversation should freak me out, but I'm actually used to it by now."

"Don't get cocky," Yang said. "Velvet, where's everyone?"

The faunus' ears pressed against her head, and she bit her lip nervously. "They went to the town square…" She muttered. "Apparently, the Queen and Blake are in trouble with the White Fang."

Yang crossed her arms and shifted her weight between her feet. This could only end badly. "Velvet… What kind of trouble?"

Velvet looked away, then pressed a finger to her neck and made a slicing motion. Yang's blood ran cold, and she turned to shout to her sister that they needed to go…

But Ruby was already gone.

* * *

Cinder drew back her sword, letting the last of her opponents fall to the ground with a gaping hole in his chest. She paused amidst the battle to look to the stage, where the Schnee and Belladonna where they still fighting – so to speak. Not having a fleeing royal to worry about, Cinder decided to search for that accursed coward, Taurus…

Before she could even begin, she heard a bullet coming her way, and raised her sword to deflect it. The blade rang from the impact, but did not shatter. Cinder turned, locking eyes with Ozpin, who was approaching her with his gun raised.

"Oh. Truly, this is my lucky day," Cinder said, smiling humorlessly. "The White Fang _and_ your troublesome rebellion, wiped out at once. Thank you for this opportunity, General."

"You stole that title from me, witch," Ozpin recalled. "Worse, you put my city and the house of my liege in peril of extinction. For that, I will show you no mercy."

"So the sage strategist finally bares his teeth," Cinder laughed. "Ah, but you are so… insignificant. Let's make this more enjoyable, yes?"

She tossed her sword at him, and he let go of his gun to grasp it by the hilt. Before he could get used to the feeling of his new weapon, she was upon him, swinging a hand towards his neck.

Ozpin raised the sword and her hand collided against the blade and bounced off. Cinder's smile widened as she ducked low and swung at his chin, but Ozpin dodged with a flourish and struck her in the shoulder, to no effect.

"Do you see now?" Cinder hissed. "Do you see how useless your defiance is? You could have been great, Ozpin. You could have been my right-hand man. But you are too proud for that, aren't you?"

"Funny," Ozpin said. "I don't see anyone standing by your side right now. Just a bunch of soldiers with their minds bent to your will. Where is your right-hand man, Fall?"

Cinder growled and took him by the collar, then shoved him to the ground savagely. She stomped down on his chest and pointed a palm at his face, heat beginning to build up around it.

"If only I had known how careless you truly are, Ozpin," Cinder muttered. "I never would have bothered hiding my true self. Everything you've protected is mine, and now I will end your meaningless life. How does it feel?"

"I must admit," Ozpin looked up at her and smiled. "It feels pretty damn good to see how over your head you are."

Cinder stopped charging her attack to gawk at him.

She went reeling back when something struck her in the chest and exploded. Cinder dragged her hands on the ground, halting her momentum, and looked up ferociously, a strand of hair covering her left eye.

"That's right, you evil temptress!" Nora yelled, stepping in front of Ozpin and tossing a vial filled with a strange red liquid between her hands. "And there's more where that came from! …Well actually this is my last explosive 'cause everything else was lost in the collapse but you don't need to know that."

"I think she heard you, Nora." Ren said, standing by her side.

"She most definitely heard me," Nora agreed. "Eat smoke, witch!"

She tossed the vial, but to the pair's surprise, Cinder ran straight at them and smacked it aside, prompting the explosion to occur early. Smoke concealed her for but a moment, and then she appeared again, swinging a hand in a claw-like manner towards Nora.

"Penny, now!" Ren yelled.

Cinder felt someone wrapping their arms around her belly, and in the next second, somehow, she was soaring high up in the air. The witch snarled and struggled in her aggressor's hold, but it was futile – whoever it was, they had a grip even she couldn't escape from.

" _You_ ," she said through gritted teeth. "You will land and put me back down. _Now_."

"Are you trying to charm me?" A deceptively sweet voice answered. "Sorry. I'm not a real girl, so I don't think that's going to work on me. But since you want to go back down so badly…"

The girl let go, and Cinder went plummeting down. Instead of panicking, Cinder looked up for the stranger and caught sight of her, flapping her wings to keep herself in place.

Cinder yelled furiously and thrust a hand in her direction, unleashing a barrage of fire that struck the girl and caused her to start falling to. Smiling triumphantly, Cinder turned and produced another two similar fires below her, slowing her descent until her feet touched the ground again.

She stood and looked at her unbelieving enemies, her expression the peak of arrogance. After not much more time, the girl fell right beside her with a horrifying crunching noise.

"Penny!" Nora yelled. "Are you alright?"

"I'm…" Penny struggled to say, standing up slowly. Her legs were contorted slightly and her body was dented in several places, but somehow, she managed to stay up. "I'm fine. Just a little… stunned…"

"Interesting," Cinder mused, her eyes straightening dangerously. "I don't like you."

She stepped forward and closed a hand around Penny's throat, then slammed her head on the ground. Bolts and metal plates went flying through the air, and a puddle of oil began to form where she lay. Nora screamed and lunged at Cinder, but Ren and Ozpin held her back.

"How resilient," Cinder said. "I'll have to learn more about this thing later. For now…" She stomped down on Penny's neck, crushing it completely, then kicked her head towards the rebels. "I assume you two created it. Contemplate the fruits of your rebellion."

Nora and Ren kneeled on the ground, unable to tear their eyes away from Penny's head as the life faded from her eyes.

Cinder pointed at Ozpin. "As for you, General…"

Suddenly, the temperature around them dropped substantially, enough for even Cinder to be disturbed by it. She looked back at the stage and frowned.

"Do the same. I'll get to you later."

* * *

Ruby ran through the streets at a breakneck pace, appearing as nothing but a mirage for anyone that looked at her. She maintained a hand on her scythe at her back, prepared to use it at a moment's notice.

She slowed down when she spotted another person running in the same direction as her, but much slower and, very predictably, clumsier.

"Jaune," she stopped beside him. "You heard what's happening?"

"Yeah," he said seriously, fidgeting with his gun. "Cinder's there too."

"Well, things just keep getting better and better," Ruby huffed. "Want a ride?"

Jaune nodded, and Ruby lifted him in her arms and began running again.

* * *

"Stop it, Weiss!" Blake yelled, stepping back slowly as Weiss advanced on her, the air crystallizing around them. "You can fight this!"

"I _can't_ ," Weiss grunted. "Just _stay down_!"

She swung her hand down, and Blake was pushed to the ground and frozen to the stage by her torso. Reacting quickly, the faunus turned to shadow and escaped from her prison before it enveloped her whole.

"You can!" Blake insisted. "You've done it before!"

"After – after _that_?!" Weiss stopped, shaking uncontrollably. "Don't… I can't…"

Blake cursed under her breath, eyeing the queen up and down. Her attire was almost all red now, her wound having opened when they started fighting. If Blake didn't do something about that, Weiss could end up hurt beyond repair.

But what options did she have? The cleanest would be to knock her out, but with Weiss using her magic, there was no guarantee she could even get close enough to do it. She could tire her out, but that wouldn't be good for Weiss. And she could kill her.

That last one wasn't an option at all.

"Listen," Blake said, raising her hands amicably. "I understand how you feel. Right now, you feel like you're in a cage, because of what she's done to you – and what she's doing to you now. It feels horrible. But you can't stop fighting, or _she_ wins."

"All I've been doing is fighting," Weiss said brokenly. "I just want to stop."

"You can't!" Blake exclaimed. "Fight her, or else you're throwing everything away! Us! Your throne! Your sister!"

Weiss stood still, looking down at her feet helplessly. Blake watched in silence, waiting for a sign that her words had reached her…

A warm hand fell gently on Weiss' shoulder, and she lifted her head slowly.

"Shh, princess. I'm here," Cinder said. "You don't need to worry about anything anymore."

"Don't…" Weiss spun around and faced her. "… _TOUCH ME_!" She thrust against Cinder's chest, and the witch went flying, a multitude of icy explosions rocking her powerfully.

Blake smiled and begun to run towards Weiss, but midway there, Cinder rose and jumped back to the stage, her red eyes focused intently on the exiled queen.

"I was always nice to you, when I could have treated you as a tool," she said. "Now you don't deserve even that."

Without warning, Cinder waved a hand, conjuring a fiery tendril and whipping it at Weiss, who had barely enough time to raise her hands and block it with her frost magic. Cinder continued to swing, and with each block, Weiss found it harder to maintain her defense.

"Insolent brat." Cinder conjured a second tendril on her other hand and swung both simultaneously. Startled, Weiss tried to block the two separately, but both attacks connected and knocked her to the ground, simmering red lashes forming on her arms' fair skin.

"You are clueless to how gifted you are. Your forefathers claimed the throne of Vale because, at the time, they were more powerful than mine – no matter if they were worthy of it or not," Cinder said. "That should reflect how things are today. But you are weak and stupid. It's almost disappointing to defeat you so easily."

Weiss got on her knees and mumbled something.

"What did you say?" Cinder asked, smiling. "Didn't you sister teach you how to address others properly, princess?"

"I said…" Weiss stood up and glared at her, holding out her hands. White glyphs spun on her wrists and below her feet, and she shone with an aura that was almost blinding. "I am not clueless at all. You are."

Cinder examined her warily for a moment, then chuckled and bowed. "Well, then… Care to demonstrate?"

* * *

Adam rose to his feet with difficulty, his legs trembling painfully. During the battle, he had had a bullet pass through his right leg, a club slammed against his left arm at full force, and a bunch of other minor injuries. He was bloody and beaten, but not defeated.

He ignored the trivial battling happening around him and set his eyes on the two women fighting on top of the stage, making a deadly spectacle of fire and ice. He couldn't tell who was winning, and he didn't care about that. Whoever was left in the end would meet his blade and be sent to their next life.

Before that, however… Adam could see Blake standing near the fight, also watching with dual amazement and fear, and completely unaware of her surroundings. Smiling, he walked towards her, gripping his sword in both hands.

Stopping just behind her, he raised his blade and aimed at her neck, pausing for a moment to enjoy the moment of the kill… and felt something hit the back of his head, then collapsed, unconscious.

Blake jumped at the sound of him falling and turned around. Her eyes widened when she saw Ruby standing there, resting her scythe on her shoulders. "You're… safe," she smiled. "That's good."

"I'm glad you're safe too," Ruby said, then poked Adam with her foot. "I am taking a bit of credit, though."

"Sure. But you are not _my_ bodyguard, now are you?" Blake remarked lightly.

Ruby frowned at that and turned to look at the magical battle. "You're right about that." She said, beginning to walk forward.

Blake blocked her path with an arm and shook her head. "You don't want to get close to them, Ruby. Trust me."

"We can't just watch, Blake!" Ruby protested. "Look at Weiss. She was already hurt before, and now she's fighting Cinder. You know that's going to end badly."

At the moment she said that, Weiss blocked a fireball from Cinder with a glyph and fell on one knee, gasping and clutching her belly.

Blake winced. "It's already getting there," she said. "But my point stands. If we try to interfere now, we're going to be torn apart by their magic. So, seeing as you're the most battle-savvy of the two of us…"

Ruby continued to stare at Weiss, and Blake could see she was resisting the urge to run and help her. Fortunately, the redhead seemed to listen to what she had said and agreed, as she turned to her and nodded.

"Alright. A plan…" She said. "We can't go in right now. So we wait for Cinder to let her guard down – which she'll probably do when she thinks Weiss is defeated…"

"And then I engage Cinder, while you get Weiss out of there." Blake finished.

"Yes, but flip the roles." Ruby corrected.

"No," Blake said. "You're not fighting Cinder. I already told you how dangerous she is to you."

"She's dangerous to you too," Ruby noted. "And she's not wearing _your_ mother's body."

"You're blinded by emotion."

"You too! You are not Yang, you can't overprotect me like she does!"

" _Children_."

The pair stopped arguing and turned to look. They had been so engaged in their discussion, they had failed to notice Yang's arrival.

"…Save it for the wedding."

Yang pushed them apart and walked past, cracking her knuckles.

* * *

Cinder breathed out in relief and eased her stance. Sweat poured down her forehead, and her whole body felt hot – much hotter than usual.

It was hard for her to admit to herself, but the Schnee had been a lot more difficult to deal with than she had expected. There had been times during their battle that Cinder truly had thought she was going to lose, but in the end – as always – she rose above the challenge.

The royal was now on her knees, gasping for breath, her magic reduced to minuscule snowflakes floating down around her. One well-aimed projectile, and she was dead. But, for some reason she didn't quite understand, Cinder refrained from doing that.

When had she become so soft? And so arrogant? She hadn't always been this always. Or had she? Her head was a mess, and all she could do about it was to keep herself going without pause.

Cinder walked to Weiss, stopping in front of her. "One more chance," she said, looking down at her. "Give up. Come with me. You won't be queen, but the best thing after that. And with all we will accomplish together…" She smiled, perhaps a little more honestly than she thought was right. "You'll realize it was the better choice all along, to bow to me, instead of sitting pettily on your throne."

"Petty. Me," Weiss scoffed, lifting her head to meet her stare. "Go rot in a hole."

Cinder's anger ignited at the sight of the queen, so broken, yet so prideful at the same time. She raised a hand to strike, gritting her teeth…

"Hey! How about you take on someone who actually knows how to fight, and not some prissy princess who somehow found her way out of her castle?!"

Cinder spun and faced Yang.

"No offense meant, of course." Yang added, winking at Weiss. The royal stared emotionlessly for a while, then gave her a little smile.

"So. The whole city was invited, it seems," Cinder said. "Except for my daughter. Where _is_ she, dear?"

"Wash your tongue, hag," Yang growled. "Ruby is not your daughter, and I'm not your anything. Well, except your end, that is."

"Hah. Spoken like a true Fall," Cinder smiled. "Speaking of. We don't need to fight, Yang. If you would only-"

"Oh, shut up already, would you?" Yang stepped forward and grabbed her by her hair, then slammed her head down on her knee. "I'm so sick of you."

Cinder stumbled away, dazed, blood pouring down her face. She glared at Yang, eyes glowing red, only to be responded with the exact same stare.

The two dashed at each other, but Yang landed the first hit, a powerful punch to the cheek that sent Cinder spinning. Not wasting a second, Yang closed in and struck her with as many punches as she could fit per second, locking the regent in a hopeless daze.

Finally, one punch surpassed the others and sent Cinder sprawling on the ground face-first. Yang went to continue her assault, but Cinder shoved herself back up and smacked her with the back of her hand, stunning her.

"Child." Cinder kicked her back and showered her with fire from up-close. "I offered to teach you."

" _Shut up_!" Yang yelled, leaping through her flames and taking hold of her by the shoulders. Cinder headbutted immediately, striking her in the forehead. Yang let go and stepped back, rubbing her injury.

"You are weak," Cinder punched her in the stomach, driving the breath out of her lungs. "Just like your mother was."

Yang shouted furiously and grabbed her again, then tackled her down to the ground. Straddling her, Yang laid down punch after punch, sending Cinder's head snapping from left to right mercilessly.

Cinder took the beating for a while, her eyes never leaving Yang's, until finally, she lifted her hands and closed them around Yang's wrists. Her arms shook with the effort of holding back the younger woman's powerful movement, and her lips formed a frustrated line.

"Getting tired, are we?" Yang taunted.

Cinder faltered for a moment, letting her advance a bit, then suddenly took back control and flipped them around. On top for a brief moment, Cinder punched her in the face, then jumped to her feet.

"You are not only weak, but crude. Ridiculously crude," she said. "A waste of potential."

She grabbed Yang by her shirt and lifted her up, then let go and shoved her, sending her stumbling back. Cinder circled around her fast and elbowed her in the back, then struck her in the side of the neck with a chop.

Yang felt pain spike through her whole body. She tried to turn around and fight back, but every movement she made felt rigid and slow now. As such, she could do nothing as Cinder fell upon her with a series of precise strikes, each one debilitating her even more.

After what felt like an eternity, Cinder stopped, letting Yang stand still to take in the world of hurt she was in. The regent was too exhausted to fully appreciate the extent of her work, but nonetheless, she didn't pry her eyes from the scene.

"That's… a lesson…" She said between heavy breaths. "To not underestimate… me…"

Yang closed her eyes and started shaking. Cinder stared at her in bewilderment. The girl wasn't about to cry, was she? If she did, Cinder would feel humiliated for having ever considered her family.

"You…" Yang opened her eyes and smiled. She wasn't shaking anymore. "You are one big hypocrite, aren't you?"

She swung a fist at Cinder. The regent watched it coming, as if the world was slowing down, and stepped aside, the attack coming so close to hitting her that it sent her hair flying and made her cheek heat up from friction.

That was enough.

Cinder closed in, grabbing a shoulder with one hand, while pulling back her other. Then, not uttering a sound, she thrust forward and pierced Yang's chest from front to back.

"Wha…" Yang whispered, her eyelids opening and closing slowly. "What…?"

They stood that way for what could have been seconds, but felt like hours, until Yang didn't open her eyes again. Her body trembled, and suddenly, she exploded into a million tiny embers that floated through the air aimlessly.

Cinder sighed, looking down at her bloodied hand. She had hoped it wouldn't come down to this. But looking back, she supposed there never had been another option. Yang was too loyal to her 'sister' and her friends.

There was no time for lamentation, though. Cinder shook her head and looked towards where Weiss had been kneeling… only to find she was gone. Predictable, but frustrating anyway.

She spun slowly to scan the town square. The battle was coming to a close, only a few handfuls of her soldiers still standing, but they were being defeated quickly by the rebels. The entirety of the White Fang was down.

Cinder groaned internally, realizing she would have to fight every single one of the rebels now, as no doubt Yang's demise would only serve to-

She froze.

Silver eyes.

Red cloak.

The scythe.

* * *

Ruby yelled and dashed at Cinder, swinging Crescent Rose with all her strength. The witch raised her arms to block, but that wasn't enough, and she screamed and fell on her back, the bones of her arms aching from the impact.

"You killed her!" Ruby shouted, tears streaming down her face. "You killed my sister!"

She brought her scythe over her head and down to pierce Cinder from above, but she rolled aside and the blade collided on the ground. Cinder cursed and crawled away backwards, her eyes wide with terror.

"Don't – please, don't," she said shakily. "She – she forced my hand. It's not my fault, I didn't want to do it!"

"I don't care!" Ruby yelled, walking to her, dragging her scythe on the ground. "I told you I would come for you. I told you!"

Cinder threw a fireball at her, but it was a weak attempt, fading before it even reached its target. Her back met with the fountain in the middle of the square, halting her retreat.

Ruby stopped before her and slammed her scythe down to her right. Her lips were trembling, and the rage in her eyes was quickly giving way to sorrow. Cinder stared at her… and closed her eyes.

"Little Rose." She said softly.

The girl flinched at the sound. "Don't call me that."

"It's me," Cinder spoke again. "She's gone. _She's gone_."

"Stop it!" Ruby lifted her scythe again. "STOP!"

"Please. You're… you're so grown… so strong and… beautiful…"

Ruby let out a wordless scream and dropped to her knees, letting her scythe fall beside her. She leaned her head forward, and Summer touched her cheek gingerly, her silver eyes watching her in simultaneous joy and sadness.

"I was there, inside her, watching… but I missed so much…" Her mother muttered. "I never meant for this to happen."

"You left me."

"Forgive me. Please. You're all I have left."

"No, I'm not."

Ruby whipped her tears away and stood up. She grabbed her scythe and turned her back to Summer.

"You don't have anyone," Ruby said sadly. "Because you're not her. You never were."

She began to walk away, but froze when she saw Yang's scattered embers circling around Weiss.

The queen looked around in a panic, slapping the embers away, but they kept spinning around her, faster by the second. Soon, she was barely visible in their midst, and the space between her and them became null.

Suddenly, the embers backed away, forming a brilliant globe around her… and closed in again, disappearing inside her.

* * *

 _What is this?_

 _I'm… inside you?_

 _What? That's ridiculous. How – oh, no. You're a Fall. GET OUT._

 _I don't know how! It was an accident!_

 _You can figure it out, I'm sure, you oaf!_

 _Hmm._

 _Hmm?!_

 _I mean, is it really that bad?_

 _Yes. Yes, it is._

 _I like it. It's so… I don't know how to describe it. But it's nice._

 _If I agree with you, will you get out?_

 _I'll try to._

 _You're insufferable._

* * *

"She did it."

Ruby turned to look at Cinder. The witch seemed amazed by what had just transpired – more than everyone else was, in fact.

"It's supposed… Supposed to be impossible."

Cinder stared for a while more, then suddenly pried her gaze away and locked eyes with Ruby.

The girl knew what she was going to do before she even started.

Cinder got up and started towards her, reaching to grasp her face. "Your mother served me well," she grunted. "You'll be even better."

Ruby hissed and backed away from her touch, trying to find room to land the last, merciful attack. She managed to make enough space to kick Cinder in the stomach, driving her back. Bracing herself, Ruby raised Crescent Rose…

A round exploded against Cinder's forehead. She collapsed immediately, her arms and legs going limp. There was a sickening crunch when her skull met the ground. Blood spilled from her and began to taint her white cloak.

Jaune stopped beside Ruby, lowering his smoking gun.

"That was for Pyrrha Nikos."

* * *

 _Oh. I think I got it._

 _You think?_

 _That's what I said. Or, uh, thought? What_ are _we doing exactly?_

 _It doesn't matter! Just get out of my head._

 _Alright, alright. Hold on to your tiara, princess, because-_

* * *

Weiss gasped and fell forward. Blake caught her and brought her back to her feet.

"That was… By the Moon…" She breathed in and out hardily.

"That was… something, I agree."

Weiss looked to her right and saw Yang standing there, not a sign of injury on her, except for the hole in her shirt.

"But…" Weiss blinked. "You were dead."

"And _you_ were bleeding from a week-old gunshot wound." Yang said, pointing to her belly. Weiss palmed for her wound, but there was nothing there, not even a scar.

"Did you just…" Blake looked from Yang to Weiss and back. "Possess her?"

Weiss and Yang looked at each other.

"Yes."

"No."

Blake crossed her arms.

"Look, we don't know, alright?" Yang sighed. "We'll figure that out later. For now…"

Ruby approached them slowly, as if she were afraid what she was seeing was an illusion. Yang smiled and stepped towards her, enveloping her in a hug.

"Let's just be glad this is finally over."

* * *

 **Hmm. Is it over? *checks notes* Nope, it's not over yet. Just because they killed Cinder, doesn't mean our rebels are free of trouble yet!**

 **This chapter was so action-packed... It was very exciting to write! Feels like ages since I've done something like this, to this magnitude, at least. Hope you guys enjoyed it as much as me.**

 **As always, thank you for reading, dropping your reviews, following/favoriting, telling your pet about the story, etc...! Thanks for sticking with _Of Vale Blood_ to this point! See ya'll next chapter!**

 **-Zeroan**


	28. Healing

Weiss hadn't dared to think that after Cinder Fall's reign of terror was over, everything would go back to the way it was before. She wasn't naïve – not anymore. But she had never thought things would fall into such disarray.

The members of the nobility had all, without exception, shut down once they realized how they had been bewitched and manipulated by the Regent. Cinder's last cruel trick on them – Lady Goodwitch's demise – was too horrible for them to come to terms with.

Similarly, the Guard had come to a standstill, the soldiers not knowing who to follow and what to do. Only a handful had been cooperative with Weiss and her allies when they were rounding up the White Fang and imprisoning them. She had dismissed the rest, knowing they were no good in their confused state.

As for the commoners… Weiss heard many conflicting stories, some saying they were relieved about the Regent's death, others reporting anger, mistrust, and unrest. She wished she knew more, but it was impossible to get a proper understanding of the situation.

And now she sat in her throne, facing a room empty except for Ozpin, who she had been quick to restore the title of High General to. She wondered if that was how Cinder had spent her days of rule too – alone, trying to tell ally from foe, threading the thin line between control and all-out war.

The witch was dead, but she had left a world in chaos as her parting gift.

"Weiss," Ozpin said softly, laying a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to be here right now. Go rest."

"I am Queen," Weiss muttered. "I didn't fight for this throne to go lay down in my bed at the first opportunity."

"I understand. But for now, there is nothing you can do,," Ozpin insisted. "There won't be anything for a long time. The wounds Fall opened haven't yet begun to heal. When they do… then will be the time for you to be a ruler."

Weiss pursed her lips. She didn't like what he was saying, but more than that, she didn't like that she wanted to agree with him. How good it would feel to finally sleep in her own bed, to not have to worry about usurpers and White Fang assassins and losing her friends overnight…

The doors of the throne room opened, and Ruby entered quietly. She was without her cloak, which was strange to the eyes, but Weiss thought it made her look somewhat more mature.

"Your Highness…? Uh, Your _Majesty_ – sorry, all those titles are so confusing…" Ruby shook her head slowly, then looked down at her feet. "We are going to bury her now. I was wondering if you would… come along?"

"Bury _her_?" Weiss said coldly. She knew exactly whom Ruby was talking about.

Ruby drew in a deep breath, then started to turn around. Weiss rose from her seat and took a step forward.

"Wait," she called, assuming a softer tone. "I'll come."

Ruby turned to look at her and smiled slightly.

"I'll take care of things while you're gone," Ozpin said, staying beside the throne. "Should anything come up…"

"You'll contact me." Weiss finished.

"I'll handle it." Ozpin corrected firmly.

Weiss opened her mouth to object, but instead sighed and nodded. The wounds needed time to start healing, and she had her fair share of those.

"Fine," she walked to Ruby and offered her arm, allowing herself a little smile. "Shall we go, my bodyguard?"

* * *

They held the ceremony in the outskirts of the city. The weather was getting gentler as the end of the season grew closer, but Weiss still had to use her magic to protect Ruby and Blake from it. Yang did well enough on her own.

Not a word was spoken while Ruby dug a hole in the ground with a shovel, vehemently tossing away the snow that threatened to fill it up again. It was slow and arduous work, but she had to do it on her own, and nobody would contest that.

Once she was finally satisfied with her handiwork, Ruby nodded to her sister, and Yang laid down Summer Rose's body. The four girls stared for a while, all in a loss for what to say, each for vastly different reasons.

Yang looked around at her companions, then took a deep breath and started to speak. "I'm… sorry about what happened to you. You deserved a lot better than… all that," she paused. "You weren't my mother, but… you were. I've been given so many names, especially recently… It's getting tiring, to say the least. But I'd be honored to be called a Rose."

Blake stepped closer. "I never got to meet you. I wish I could talk to you now…" She smiled slightly. "So I could thank you for all you left behind. In a way, you changed my life for the better."

Weiss looked up at the featureless sky. There were a million words she could say, but she knew those weren't the right ones. So she had to settle for something lesser, but honest, nonetheless. "Rest well."

Ruby jumped down on the hole and crouched. She examined her mother's face for a moment, then gave her one last smile and closed her eyelids. "I love you."

Ruby climbed back up and went to pick up the shovel she had left on the ground, only to find it already in Yang's hands. The sisters – in everything but blood – shared a look, then Ruby nodded and Yang started to fill back the grave.

Blake touched Ruby in the shoulder and smiled kindly to her, then went to help Yang. Ruby drew her cloak closer around herself, then approached Weiss.

"Hey. Thank you for coming," she said quietly. "It must be hard for you."

"Yes. I'm not going to lie, it is difficult, after everything Fall did to me and my kingdom…" Weiss turned to Ruby. "But… that isn't who we are honoring now. Your mother was a rebel, and a damn good one at that. My parents absolutely detested her, from what I've heard. But look around and point me to someone who is not a rebel these days."

"That's a good point." Ruby giggled softly.

"Besides, like Blake said," Weiss lowered her head a bit. "Summer Rose left us with many gifts, such as you. And I can't fathom to think of a world without you, Lady Rose."

Ruby closed the distance between them, enveloping Weiss in a tight hug. The queen stood frozen in surprise for a moment, then returned the action just as willfully.

"Is that an official thing, by the way?" Ruby asked. "Am I part of your court now?"

"We shall see. There's a lot for me to resolve before I start giving out titles to my friends," Weiss noted. "Speaking of. You are dismissed for the day, Royal Bodyguard. Go rest at home."

"But-"

"It's an order," Weiss said. "You wouldn't disobey your liege, would you, Ruby?"

Ruby looked at her crossly, but did not say a thing in protest.

Yang turned the shovel for the last time, filling the grave to the brim, then bowed her head respectfully. Weiss and Blake followed suit.

Ruby raised a hand in goodbye and smiled.

* * *

"Maybe… maybe copper? Ugh, no! Never! Copper is so… ugh. We're not using copper. But then what else can we get around here…?"

Ren sighed as he watched Nora frantically scribbling notes and drawing half-finished blueprints, only to always crumble them up into a ball of paper and toss them in a corner. The Queen had been kind enough to lend them a place to stay in the castle while winter still made a journey back to their home difficult. They couldn't thank her enough for the gesture, as it also provided them the time and opportunity to start working on bringing Penny back.

Penny's remains were currently locked in a chest hidden beneath their beds – which had they bundled together just for that purpose, not because they were together! The few people they had shared that information with had demonstrated some… odd reactions, to say the least. But both of them had a lot of experience in fixing Penny after her getting herself in trouble, so it was not strange at all to them.

Except this time, it was different. Ren knew it, and he knew Nora knew too, even if she wouldn't say anything. That was why she was working so hard. If she stopped, reality would settle in, and then…

"I know! We could try using something like mail armor! I hear that's the toughest thing these days. Hard to make, but it pays off…" Nora frowned. "But we'll have to cover it with a layer of something else. We don't want Penny walking around looking there's holes in her skin…"

"I still fail to understand why you won't use the same materials as always. Wouldn't that be much easier than all these ideas you're considering?" Ren asked.

"Well, I don't want to just… _rebuild_ her," Nora said hesitantly. "I want to make her better, so… _what happened_ … never happens again."

Ren tore his gaze away from his lifelong companion. It was too hard to look her in the eye when she talked like that. Rebuilding Penny… Making her better… It sounded like she wanted to bring back a whole other girl altogether, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Noticing his silence, Nora turned around in her chair and looked at him. It was normal for him to be quiet, but she knew that explanation did not fit the current mood. Ren wasn't content enough with saying nothing, unlike usual. Instead, he had a lot to say, but did not want the words to be out in the open.

"I'm sorry, Ren. I don't know how else to deal with it," Nora said sadly. "But I can see I'm hurting you by doing this. And that's what really matters right now. I'm… stopping. Alright?"

"Nora. You can't," Ren shook his head. "It's Penny. She's… special."

"She was. But now she's gone."

Ren cursed himself silently. He hadn't meant to make her feel guilty, not at all. He only wanted her to get better, but this wasn't the way.

Before he could say anything, someone knocked on the door. The pair shared a worried look. They weren't expecting any visitors today.

"Who is it?" Nora asked loudly, almost screaming, as she approached the door.

There was a sound of shuffling feet behind the door, then the visitor cleared his throat. "Uh, it's Jaune Arc. We haven't been introduced properly, but we fought together against the Regent."

"Oh, alright," Nora said cheerfully, opening the door. "Come in!"

Jaune nodded and entered the room. Before he could get a third step in, Nora stopped him, scanning him up and down energetically, moving her whole body in the process. He stood confused, while Ren shot him a sympathetic look.

"Hmm," Nora stood back and crossed her arms, as if she had reached a conclusion. "You're the man who killed Cinder Fall by shooting her in the face?"

"…Yes?" Jaune answered hesitantly. "Well, I just finished her off. Ruby and Yang and the Queen did most of the work."

"Yeah, that makes sense, because I expected you to be a lot taller." Nora stated plainly.

"Nora!" Ren chided.

"What?" Nora turned to him and shrugged. "I'm just being honest. Didn't mean it as an insult," she looked back at Jaune. "So, what do we owe the visit, witch slayer?"

Jaune stared at her, trying to discern if that last part was a joke or a jab.

"Well, I heard about your… Penny, and how she got, uh, destroyed, in the battle?" He said. "I also heard you were going to rebuild her, so I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help?"

Nora and Ren shared a look, both genuinely surprised by his offer. "Why?" The inventor asked.

"Why?" Jaune frowned. "I just want to help. A lot of people died these past months because of this whole mess with witches and thrones and rebels, and none of them will get to come back," he looked down sadly for a moment, then raised his head back up. "Except Penny, from what I gather. And if that's possible, if one person can be brought back… I want to help with that."

"That's very noble, Jaune," Ren said. "We'd appreciate your help very much."

"We would," Nora agreed bitterly. "But… I don't think Penny can ever be brought back. Even if we rebuild her body perfectly, it won't matter without what brought her to life in the first place."

"And what was that?" Jaune asked.

"I don't know! It was thunder and luck and I bet even some magic. There were so many variables that day…" Nora sighed. "I can only guess what made Penny possible."

"Well, then… we try everything!" Jaune decided. "Everything, anything you can think of, until it works!"

Nora pursed her lips. She wasn't one to shy away from experiments, even the most optimistic ones, but this sounded too hopeful to ever be successful.

She was about to express that feeling and ask for Jaune to leave, when she felt a hand fall on her shoulder from behind her, then saw Ren smiling from the corner of her vision.

"I agree with Jaune," he said. "We need to try everything, no matter how long it takes. Right, Nora?"

Nora gazed at him for a moment, then nodded. "Right!" She smiled. "Let's get to work!"

* * *

Ruby pushed the door of her house open, smiling slightly at the familiar sound of wood scratching against the ground. Yang used to talk about fixing that problem all the time, but she had never gotten to it. Perhaps now she finally would.

The redhead was pleasantly surprised to find the house in a nearly identical state to what she had left it months before. The beds were messy as all hell, clothes and tools were strewn all over the floor, and, at the very back, Yang's cage was shut.

Ruby paused, looking at the cage in silence. Over the years, she had normalized the sight of it and the act of locking her sister inside it. After all, she was doing it to help her, and Yang was in full agreement. But now… now she wondered how both of them had ever thought that was a right thing to do.

She sighed and moved on to her bed, sitting at the edge of it. She had been awake for nearly three days now. So much had happened during that span of time – the Guard invading the hideout, her getting stuck in its ruins, the battle against Cinder, and then the aftermath of that – that she hadn't had the opportunity to as much as feel tired.

But finally, _finally_ , she could rest, as Weiss had commanded. Ruby lied back on the bed and covered herself with her cloak. She closed her eyes and pressed her nose against the fabric, smelling the scent of blood and dirt and sweat, but above all else… roses.

* * *

Castle Vale's dungeon was as dark as Blake remembered, but that had never been much of a problem for her. Her amber eyes could see everything almost as clear as day, and her ears picked up on every noise that came from the dozens of cells after the end of the steps.

The fact that so many faunus had been locked up after the battle should disturb her, but she instead felt vindicated, knowing they were all White Fang. She wasn't proud she felt that way, but she couldn't deny it was true.

Maybe she could excuse herself, at least partly, as her feelings came mostly focused on Adam Taurus' imprisonment. He was the head of the snake, so to speak, the man who had poisoned so many of her kin against the humans, turning what could have been a peaceful, if slow, change in society, into an outright war with immeasurable losses on both sides.

Yes, maybe she was a bit justified in how she felt.

She reached the end of the stairs and walked softly from cage to cage, knowing well that most of the captives could hear and see her as she did them, but she paid them no mind. Blake had only one interest in this venture.

She found him at the very last corner of the dungeon, in what was by far the dankest and most restrictive cage of them all. Blake stared at Adam, and he stared right back, a thousand words going unspoken between the two of them.

"So," he said finally, sitting with his back against the bars of the cage. "Come to gloat?"

Blake tilted her head to the side. "Yes. That is exactly what I had in mind."

"Alright. Go ahead," Adam sighed. "Fair warning, I've grown tired of your moral nonsense and your talks of freedom. But in what position am I to knock you off your high horse?"

"Oh, Adam, you've got it all wrong. I'm not here to give you a speech about morals," Blake smirked. "I'm here to gloat about how much better I am than you."

She turned to shadow and slipped between the bars of the cage, then became solid again and leaned down, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and staring him in the eyes.

"You're lucky Ruby was the one to take you down. Anyone else would have killed you where you stood. But she's _that_ good," Blake whispered. "But I guess we are _all_ lucky she did, because now you don't get to play the martyr and spark another White Fang rebellion."

"The Queen is going to give you and all those you manipulated a fair trial. She doesn't know it yet, I bet the idea hasn't even come to her mind, but I'll convince her that's the way," she paused. "We're going to reach an accord. Take a significant step towards faunus and human equality in this kingdom. And then you're all going free. No more bloodshed is needed."

Adam's lips raised in a lopsided grin. "I think I can hear the hooves clattering…"

Blake's eyes narrowed, and she pulled him closer, their noses almost touching. "You don't get it. Yes, you're going free," she said. "But I won't ever believe _you_ are anything more than a monster. I'll be watching every day, waiting for you to step out of line, and then… Then you'll be ashamed of how smug you were today."

She let go and exited the cage, turning her back to him. "I can live with you being free, if that's what's necessary for everyone else to have that privilege. And _that_ , Adam, is why I'm better than you."

She waited for an answer, but none came. Satisfied, she lowered her head and walked away, leaving Adam Taurus alone in the dark.

* * *

The Shades were restless today. They had been passing by Raven's home since she had woken up, a sudden flood of faceless roamers, all seemingly motivated to go in the same direction by a singular reason. She wished she knew what that reason was, but as she had learned long ago, there was no way to communicate with a Shade. Perhaps she should do some hands-on investigation, venture out once more…

Although, the last time she had done something like that, it hadn't worked out very well for her.

Raven was about to head back inside her cave when she spotted something down below, an irregularity amidst the roaming Shades. Something... red?

She stared in disbelief as the red spot moved through the crowd, getting closer and closer to her spiral, until it was at the bottom of it, separated from the Shades.

"Ruby?!" Raven called.

The girl looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. A Shade passed just behind her, brushing against her back, prompting her to jump and race around the spiral stairway to the top.

When Ruby finally stopped before her, Raven didn't know whether to be happy or dismayed about her unexpected appearance. She didn't yet know why she was in the dream realm again, but considering how she had arrived the first time…

"Ruby. It's… good to see you," Raven said, laying a hand on her shoulder and leading her inside. "But why are you here?"

Ruby rubbed her eyes and shook her head, then looked at Raven helplessly. "You tell me."

Raven crossed her arms, a terrible feeling sinking down her stomach. "You defeated Cinder, did you not?" She asked. "I've been following events through Yang's eyes. I watched the battle unfold. Unless…"

…Unless everything she had been seeing was a lie. Cinder tricking her as punishment for her 'insubordination'. It sounded just like something the usurper would do.

Ruby blinked a few times, then raised her head. "No. We did defeat her. Cinder's dead."

Raven sighed in relief. "Good. Good. I'm glad her reign is over at last," she said. "Perhaps her death has something to do with you being here? What is the last thing you remember?"

Ruby pondered the question for a few seconds, then shrugged. "I lied down in my bed and fell asleep," she looked at Raven expectantly. "Could her death really affect me somehow? I mean, she's gone…"

"I wish I had a concrete answer, but I don't know everything about my family's magic. I can only extrapolate from what little we have at our disposal," Raven said. "Who knows. Perhaps her death released some stray magic she still had latched onto you, and that caused you to be transported here again."

Ruby stayed silent. Her first visit here had been confusing enough already, she wasn't eager to have her head jumbled up once more.

"Sorry. The reason you're here isn't all that important," Raven shook her head. "I suppose you wish to get back immediately."

"Uh, I'd love to talk to you…" Ruby looked away. "But, yes… This place is…"

"Unpleasant. I understand," Raven nodded. She looked at the girl for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Thank you for telling Yang about me. And, if you please, could you… tell her how proud I am of her? It might not mean much, but she needs to know."

"Yes! Of course!" Ruby exclaimed eagerly. "The message shall be delivered!"

"Thank you, Ruby."

Raven stepped closer, laying her hands on Ruby's shoulders. The redhead closed her eyes and stopped breathing in anticipation.

"Remember how we did this before. Don't be nervous. Focus on what anchors you to the real world…"

* * *

"Hey. Your Majesty. Her Most Insurmountable Greatness. Snowflake! Slow down, would you?"

Weiss held back a heated remark, wanting nothing more than to turn around and yell at Yang to leave. But instead, she chose to act like the diplomat she was raised to be, and slowed down to allow the blonde to catch up to her.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Yang asked, eyeing the walls of the castle as if she had never seen them before.

" _I_ am going to my room to rest," Weiss answered. "I cannot speak for you, however. Care to enlighten me, Xiao Long?"

"Well, _someone_ needs to make sure you don't get assassinated while Ruby's out of commission," Yang said cheerfully. "And since Blake and even _Jaune_ have substituted her before, I figured I was entitled to a turn myself."

"I can take care of myself." Weiss noted, subtly flaring up some magic on her hands.

"Yes, yes, I know," Yang winked. "It's all just an excuse to spend time with you, oh noble lady."

Weiss sighed. Since Cinder's defeat, Yang had somehow become even more insufferable, a feat Weiss had previously thought was impossible. It wasn't, of course. Yang couldn't seem to shut her mouth for more than a minute at most, her walking resembled something more akin to hopping than anything else, _and_ she was getting much too close to her at times.

"So, are we going to talk about it?" Yang blurted out, walking backwards in front of her so they were face to face.

"Talk about what?" Weiss retorted, making a point of not meeting her eyes.

"Don't play dumb. Me going inside you, what else?" Yang smiled. "And not _inside you_ like you've always secretly wished for."

"No. We are not talking about that." Weiss replied firmly, accelerating her steps and moving around her.

Yang did not give up, matching her speed easily. Weiss glared at her sideways, now thinking she wasn't doing this to just be annoying – the idiot clearly had no awareness of how she was being received.

"Come on, Snowflake, you can't ignore it forever!" Yang exclaimed. "I mean, we became one person. How absolutely insane is that? But it was incredible, too! It saved my life – hell, it even healed your wound too."

"I'm not talking about this." Weiss muttered.

"Do you know how it felt, being scattered embers in the air?" Yang continued, as if she hadn't heard her. "I don't know. I don't remember _feeling_ anything. But I remember I saw something… _something_ … like a huge ball of light, almost blinding, and I was drawn to it. I guess that was you, huh? And then it just happened…"

Weiss didn't deem to reply, instead focusing on getting to her room. It wasn't that far away now. She only had to be patient for a little while more, then she could get free of her unwanted companion.

"…and it felt great. Like the times when the moon would affect me some nights, but without me becoming a monster. So much power… but with clarity. Imagine what we could do together!"

They turned a corner, and Weiss spotted the door to her room. She sped towards it and laid a hand on the doorknob, shooting Yang a tired glare. "Stop right there. What happened stays in the past. We're never doing that again. Understood?"

Yang stopped, her brow furrowing. "Listen. I know it was strange. We were in the middle of a battle. But maybe if we tried it in a less stressful situation…" She trailed off. "Maybe. And you can't deny it felt good."

Weiss let go of the doorknob and turned around, her patience finally running out. "Let me remind you who else felt this _good_ about using that cursed magic that runs in your bloodline," she spat out. "Cinder Fall. And your father. Now let me remind you of something they have in common: both of them _manipulated_ people, made them do _things_ against their will, and – and if you can't realize how horrible that sounds, how similar you are becoming to them, then I don't know what else to say."

Yang's shoulders dropped, and for a moment, Weiss thought she had gotten to her. But just as quickly as that hope had been born, it was extinguished by Yang stepping closer to her, her eyes changing to a light shade of red.

"Don't you dare compare me to them," she said. "And don't think you can lie to me. I was in your head, remember? I know you felt just like I did. Now, if you would just admit it instead of being so damn proud, we could-"

Yang stopped talking, suddenly noticing the horrified expression on Weiss' face. She looked down and saw she had a hand closed around the royal's arm, but… she didn't remember doing that?

" _Don't touch me_."

Weiss' free hand rose in a backhanded strike on Yang's cheek, prompting her to let go at once. It wasn't painful, it barely even phased her, but that didn't matter.

The door opened and slammed shut. Yang stood frozen for minutes, her heartbeat racing, panic flooding her veins.

* * *

"Ruby?"

Blake kneeled beside her friend's bed, shaking her gently by the shoulder. Ruby refused to show any reaction, and her breathing was barely hearable, even for Blake's heightened hearing capabilities.

After almost suffering a public execution, Blake thought she would never feel that scared ever again. But, as always, she was proved wrong. She had gone through so much already, but life found another cruel surprise for her.

"Come on. I know you're not gone," she pleaded quietly. "You came back before. Do it again."

She shook the redhead again, but it was to no avail. Blake grit her teeth and leaned forward, desperation showing in her eyes.

"Please."

Ruby stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, silver irises slowly focusing on the faunus by her side. Blake leaned back, her lips parting into a wide smile.

"Ugh… How long was I gone?" Ruby asked morosely.

"I don't know," Blake said. "It's the same day of your mother's burial. The sun is setting."

"Oh. It was just a nap then," Ruby sighed in relief. "A pretty weird nap, but at least it didn't last for weeks like last time."

"So you were _there_?" Blake asked, her face souring.

"Yes. I talked to Raven. She was fine," Ruby rubbed her forehead. "And it was no big task bringing me back. So that's a relief…"

Blake frowned. She really didn't like the thought of Ruby slipping away into some weird magic realm just because she had fallen asleep. What was to say this wasn't going to happen again? And next time, coming back might not be so easy…

Ruby looked at Blake, noticing how uneasy she was. "You don't need to worry, Blake," she said softly. "A lot of bad things have happened since we met. We got put into some very dangerous situations, both alone and together. But we've always made it through, haven't we?"

Blake rose and sat beside her in the bed, looking down at her face in wonder. "I suppose we have," she smiled. "You have a talent, you know?"

"Of being cute?" Ruby blinked coyly.

"Yes, but that's not what I'm talking about," Blake chuckled. "The world is such a dark place. At least that's how I feel most of the time. But you always make it seem so bright and wonderful…" She paused, looking away. "I guess it's because it's difficult to pay attention to anything else when you're with me."

Ruby blushed, sinking a little in her bed. "Are we… uh… You remember that stuff about us… after the fight was over and…" she gulped. "Are we going to talk about that?"

Blake was silent for a while, looking at another corner of the house. Then she shrugged and laid down beside Ruby, pressing herself to her. Ruby shifted her weight, awkwardly searching for a comfortable position. She settled for resting her head against Blake's shoulder, melting in her embrace.

"What is there to talk about that hasn't been said already?" Blake whispered.

"I don't know," Ruby closed her eyes. "I've… never been with anyone before, Blake."

"Well, I'm as lost as you are. We'll learn with time, together. For now… let's just stay like this. What do you think?"

"I think… that sounds nice."

* * *

Mess. Mess. Mess. Everything was a mess.

No.

 _She_ was a mess.

Weiss rested her head against the cold door to the royal catacombs. This day was supposed to be simple. It was her opportunity to settle down, to heal, as Ozpin had said.

But that wasn't how it was working out. Because of her worries, because of Yang, because of her guilt. Because she couldn't rest until she finally went down there.

Taking a deep breath, Weiss decided to get this over with, once and for all. It was the right thing to do. And after it, maybe she would finally be able to rest.

She opened the door and went down the steps, grabbing a torch on the wall to light her way. The silence in the crypt was almost palpable, the humidity in the place settling on her skin and making her feel even less at ease.

She ignored the coffins of her many ancestors, heading directly to the one raised at a pedestal in the middle of the room. It was as hauntingly beautiful as she remembered, with its glass top and fine wooden carvings.

Weiss trailed a finger through the glass, observing her sister's resting features. She couldn't see or hear it, but she knew Winter still breathed. She was still with the living, but at the same time, she couldn't be any farther away.

Not for long, though.

Weiss braced her hands against the glass and pushed carefully. Stale air brushed against her face, making her cough and look away. Without the glass in the way, Winter looked even paler than before.

She reached forward with a hand, then immediately drew it back. Weiss bit her lip, drawing blood, and forced herself to go on. Gently, as if she feared her touch would break her skin, Weiss covered her sister's mouth and nose with her hand.

"I'm sorry," she closed her eyes. "But you're going to rest now. Finally. T-thank you for everything."

She pressed more forcefully, not wanting to draw this out any longer than it needed to be.

This was going to be a tough explanation. She was sure Ozpin and everyone else would understand her decision, and they certainly hadn't the right to protest it, but that didn't change the fact that she hadn't consulted anyone beforehand. The Queen wasn't supposed to act on a whim.

But, for one last time, Weiss wanted to act first for herself, and not her throne.

She had no clue how long she needed to hold on. Would she know when to stop? Would she feel something? She had heard stories about siblings having an uncanny connection to each other, but that was stuff out of fairytales... yet lately, she realized, most of her life could be treated with that same dismissal.

Weiss opened her eyes grudgingly. It wasn't over. She grit her teeth in her frustration. Even now, Winter was being stubborn. Why couldn't she just-

Winter's eyes snapped open, and her right hand shot up to wrap around Weiss' wrist. The Queen looked at her older sister in fright and stumbled back, holding a scream in her throat.

Winter sat up and looked around, breathing in and out forcefully. She lowered her head, then lifted it to look her sister in the eyes.

"…Weiss?"

* * *

 **Oh snap. And that's why you consult a doctor before resorting to euthanasia, Weiss. Shameful, simply shameful.  
**

 **Sorry for the delay on this chapter! There was a particular part of it (that Yang and Weiss scene) which I needed to make sure was exactly as I wanted it. I don't think I need to explain why, the subtext is rather... uh, _text._ It's a touchy subject, one that I think I've handled with... less consideration, in the past, so this time around, I wanted to be more careful.**

 **Anyways. Let's not linger on that. Let me know what you thought of the chapter, and, as always, thank you for reading! See ya'll next time!**

 **-Zeroan**


	29. Monster

The sun came shining brightly that morning, a sharp change from the previous months when one would be lucky to catch even a glimpse of it in the sky. Leaning on the balcony, Weiss could feel her skin warming up pleasantly. And if _she_ was able to feel that warmth… then the seasons truly were changing.

It was a silly thought, maybe, but this felt fitting. At last, she felt safe, like everything bad that had been happening… finally, all that was over. The end of winter marked that transition. It was time to move forward.

Hearing a faint shuffling behind her, Weiss turned around to inspect her room, and more specifically, her bed. Winter was moving under the many blankets she had been buried beneath, only her head out in the open. Her eyes were shut tight, but Weiss could see they were moving fast, as if she were in some sort of distress or panic.

"Winter," she whispered, going to stand by her side. "Everything's fine. You're safe," she snuck a hand under the blankets, searching for her sister's own. "I'm here with you."

Finding a hand, Weiss wrapped her fingers around it gingerly and smiled. Winter stiffened momentarily, then at last, her eyes opened. They weren't as blue as Weiss remembered, as if they had somehow dulled while she slept. She wondered if she was imagining things, or deliberately trying to find something to worry about – as if she didn't have enough on her plate already.

"Sister," Winter spoke quietly, her lips barely moving. She looked up at her, then started to move again. "Let me… I want to sit."

"Careful. Let me help you."

Winter rose slightly, letting Weiss pass an arm under her so she could lift her more easily. Slowly, Weiss moved her until she was sitting upright, then guided her so her back was resting against the bed's headboard.

"How… how long did I sleep?" Winter asked.

"A few hours only," Weiss faltered slightly. "But of course, you meant…"

"Yes."

"Months," Weiss answered. "If it isn't spring already, we are surely entering it now."

"What's changed?" Winter shook her head, as if regretting that question. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Weiss smiled, her chin trembling. "It's been… difficult without you. But I've managed. And now that you're back…"

She stopped talking, realizing there were no words that could translate how relieved she felt. Winter seemed to understand, though, as she returned the smile promptly. It was stunning how beautiful she looked at that moment, even as weak and tired as she was.

Weiss pressed her lips together, holding back a sob of happiness. Winter raised an eyebrow slowly, preparing another question.

Weiss was almost relieved to hear someone knock at the door, because as happy as she was about having her sister back, she feared she was about to break down if this moment between them went on any longer.

Mouthing an apology, Weiss moved to the door and opened it. Ruby stood in the hallway, clad once again in her uniform and cloak. Blake was leaning against a wall, with a distant, dreamy look in her eyes.

"Your Highness," Ruby bowed, a little more excitedly than was protocol. "We heard the good news. I'm so happy for you!"

Weiss smiled, closing the door behind her. "Thank you, Ruby. I'm happy too… obviously," she chuckled, then assumed a more serious expression. "How are you feeling, though? About yesterday?"

"Yesterday?" Ruby repeated confusedly, casting a quick glance at Blake.

"Yes. Yesterday," Weiss tilted her head dubiously. "…The burial?"

"Oh! Right," Ruby rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "That thing. I'm fine. Great, even."

Weiss hummed. This was a rather curious response. She looked at Blake, wondering if she would yield any context for that, but she once again looked as stoic as ever.

"Congratulations, Weiss," the faunus said. "I hope your sister recovers well."

"Thank you. I believe Ruby can be very helpful regarding that matter, actually," Weiss turned back to the redhead. "You are the only one with experience on waking up from Fall curses, after all."

"I guess that's true. I'll help anyway I can," Ruby nodded. "I'm going to be around here, anyway, bodyguarding you and being a good friend."

"Thank you. Though the latter is not in the job description." Weiss noted lightly.

"There's a job description?" Ruby frowned.

Weiss shook her head in wonder. Blake looked from her to Ruby, then bowed slightly and turned to walk away.

"It was nice seeing you, Weiss. I had some things I wanted to talk to you about, but that can wait until Winter is well," she looked at Ruby. "I'm going to town to look for Yang. Will you be back home by nightfall, or are you staying here overnight?"

"It depends," Ruby shrugged. "Ask my boss."

Blake looked at Weiss questioningly. The queen put her hands on her hips, making a show of pondering the question, then nodded solemnly. "You may spend the night at home."

Ruby cheered silently. Blake smiled gratefully to Weiss, bent down to plant a brief kiss on Ruby's lips, then walked away.

The queen and her bodyguard stood in silence in the hallway for a long, drawn-out minute, the former just watching in amusement as the latter's face grew redder and redder by the second.

"Well, Lady Rose. I know you move fast…" Weiss smiled mischievously. "But I must admit, this is _exceedingly_ fast, even for you."

"I-it's not a big deal," Ruby said. "Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not making fun. I'm happy for you and Blake," Weiss crossed her arms. "But you should know, the job description of a royal bodyguard is very strict about matters concerning relationships and love. You must be careful not to overly distract yourself on duty. I cannot tell you how many guards have lost their jobs because they were caught forni-"

Ruby whimpered. "I-I'll be standing g-guard here, alright? G-go check on your sister."

Weiss decided to oblige her. She could make Ruby squirm some more, but that would be cruel. She gave her a knowing wink, then turned and entered her bedroom.

Her moment of glee was cut short when she saw Winter still sitting on the bed, her face twisted into a mask of despair and fear. Weiss sped to her side, taking her hand again.

"Winter?" She called, trying to sound calm. "Winter. I'm back. Talk to me."

Winter blinked, her expression softening, though there were still traces of unrest in her. "Weiss…" She spoke quietly. "You are still protected by that girl?"

"Ruby?" Weiss asked. "Yes. She's a friend."

"She's the devil's daughter," Winter corrected, looking her in the eye. "She mustn't… If you can't get rid of her, then at least make sure she stays away from you and me. She will only bring us misfortune otherwise."

"Winter!" Weiss exclaimed, anger coloring her voice. "Why would you say that?! Ruby has always been by my side. She suffered the same fate as you, but she came back and she helped me!"

Winter wrapped a hand around her arm, remaining obstinate. "She's not what she seems. She's like her mother," her eyes wavered. "The devil's daughter."

Weiss's lips parted, her anger fading as quickly as it had come. She sat down on the bed, looking at Winter. How easy it was to forget she had missed so much. She didn't even know why she had been put to sleep, and by whom.

"Winter…" Weiss steeled herself. "There's a lot I need to tell you."

* * *

Raven held her hand in front of her face, protecting her eyes from the blizzard rushing at her. Somehow, the wintery wasteland Ruby had discovered seemed to have gotten even worse than it already was. Where before she had been able to make it to her destination, albeit it slowly, now she had to struggle to as much as take a single step.

To make matters stranger, the temperature inside the blizzard was fluctuating wildly. Perhaps she was imagining things, perhaps the decades spent in this surreal dreamscape were finally taking its toll, but she could swear sometimes the snow would feel scalding on her skin, and in the next second, as cold as ice, as expected.

Everything must be falling apart, was the most rational explanation she could come up with. With Cinder dead, all that she had changed and influenced in this land was coming to an end. Raven could only imagine what that entailed, considering how many centuries that witch had lived for.

But there was a bright side to all that. Cinder had had a prisoner, someone she had stopped Raven from helping before. With her gone, Raven could now rescue whoever that person was.

Raven had never considered herself much of a hero. Even in her days of rebellion in Remnant, she had often depended on her companions to keep her on their path of righteousness. Not that she had ever aspired to do evil deeds. But she had a monster inside her - or so she had thought for a long time.

Now… now she didn't need anyone to help her be a hero. And neither did she have someone like Ruby that needed her to be good, so she could give her guidance. For the first time, Raven was being a hero out of her own decision.

And she had to admit… it felt damn good.

* * *

The whole world was red, the air rippling like invisible flames. She was connected to it and everyone around her, yet at the same time, so far out of their realm it was painful. The people of Vale, with their fires burning inside them, small, big, gentle, furious, drawn to each other as if to form one gigantic bonfire.

If this was how Cinder Fall had seen the world for all her life, Yang couldn't blame her for going mad. Not when she was so close to suffering the same fate.

Gritting her teeth, Yang turned around and walked away from the cluster of people in the town square, keeping her eyes trained on her own feet. She could feel the heat of others that passed by her, and she had to summon every bit of strength in her to not stop and take them, right then and there.

Whatever _taking_ meant. She couldn't deny there was an urge growing inside her, but for what it was, she had no clue… except that it couldn't be good for anyone but herself. She intended to keep herself uninformed for as long as she could.

She turned a corner and entered an alleyway, deciding it was best that she stay far away from human contact. That included going home, as much as it pained her. She couldn't risk hurting Ruby or Blake, and she didn't want them to see her like this, not because she feared they would abhor her or anything… but just the contrary.

Yang didn't want to be helped. She didn't want to be coddled. Monsters didn't deserve any of that.

She was so immersed in her own little world, Yang never noticed the pair of amber eyes that watched her from above, and the soft footsteps that followed her through every minute of the day.

* * *

The bullet sped through the air, hitting the wall far to the side from its intended wooden target, chipping off a bit of the stone. Velvet mumbled something as she reloaded her pistol, her ears pressed to her head in embarrassment.

Coco shot Jaune a quick glance, then sighed and got up from the bench. She walked through the castle courtyard to stand behind Velvet, taking her elbow in her hand to lift her arm, correcting her stance.

"You're behaving like your gun is going to somehow hurt you. That's where your problem is coming from," Coco said. "You control the gun. The gun doesn't control you. Got it?"

"G-got it," Velvet nodded hesitantly. "Also, p-plant my feet on the ground. Stand firm. Right?"

"Exactly. See, you've got it all figured out. You just have to do it."

Velvet breathed in deeply, preparing herself. She raised the gun, aiming it for a long while, and shot. The bullet landed even farther away than the previous one.

"I-I'm sorry!" Velvet exclaimed in frustration. "I can't. I just can't."

"Yes, you can!" Coco crossed her arms. She pursed her lips, thinking for a moment, then decided to air out what she was thinking. "You shot the queen, first try. If you had aimed a little higher, she would be dead. So, yes, you clearly _can_ use a gun, the question is, _why aren't you_?"

Velvet looked away, hiding the pistol under her arm. "I… I was angry, I guess," she said. "I barely thought of it. There was an opportunity, and I took it," she paused. "I'm not proud of it."

Coco's shoulders slumped. She took a step back, looking at Jaune. He got up and walked to them, smiling slightly.

"Hey, Velvet. Don't worry about it, I know exactly how you feel," he said. "I'm terrible with guns. Even worse than you. But when I saw the opportunity to kill Cinder, I just did it. Sometimes your emotions get a hold of you, and you do things you shouldn't be able to."

"But that was Cinder," Velvet said. "She was evil."

"She was. I don't regret killing her. But killing, or even _hurting_ anyone is not something you can just brush off. It leaves a mark," Jaune paused, his face somber for a moment. Then he looked at her and smiled. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"Yeah, I…" Velvet looked at Coco. "I don't really want to be a soldier or anything."

Coco stared at her, then shrugged. "That's fine. I wasn't going to force you or anything, it was just a suggestion," she said. "I'm sustaining you anyway. You can make up for it by cooking me some nice meals."

"W-what? But I'm not a cook!" Velvet pointed out.

"Better start learning then," Coco said. "Thank you for the help, Jaune. Have a good day."

Velvet waved to him, then was roughly dragged away by her friend. Jaune chuckled, happy to see Velvet had found a good place for herself in the world, with a friend who truly cared about her. There were still faunus slaves in the castle and in other properties in Vale, but this was a sign of good things to come.

Turning around, he unsheathed his own pistol and raised it. He lined it up with the target, narrowing his eyes slightly, imagining he was aiming it at something else entirely, soft flesh between two red eyes…

He missed, obviously. "Heh. Still horrible. Some things never change."

"I disagree."

Jaune jumped, almost screaming as Ozpin suddenly appeared at his side. The general smiled, as if that reaction was the exact one he had wanted.

"W-what do you mean, sir?" Jaune asked, his voice cracking a bit.

"Things do change. You've changed, Mister Arc," Ozpin said. "To think a few months ago, you could barely hold a conversation with anyone. Frankly, that was much worse than your aim. Somehow."

"Thank you?"

"You're humble. That's good, but only so far," Ozpin looked at him significantly. "Be careful not to let opportunities go by. Sometimes you have to rise up and grasp what destiny offers you."

"I don't really believe in destiny, sir," Jaune said. "Yes, sometimes we have no choice about where we end up, but there are always decisions to be made. Stances to be taken. We shape our own destinies."

Ozpin's lips curved into a slight smile. "Then you already understand what I'm telling you," he paused. "I think it's time you hit that target, Mister Arc."

Jaune nodded. He raised his pistol and took aim.

* * *

"Winter?" Weiss entered her sister's chamber, looking around curiously. The bed was undone, but Winter was not lying there. Good. It meant she was strong enough to walk on her own.

She found Winter in the balcony, looking at the night city lights. Weiss went to lean beside her, letting herself relax at last.

"Was your day long and tiring?" Winter asked knowingly.

"Are they ever not?" Weiss smiled. "Work is picking up. The nobility is back on its feet, so swiftly forgetful of the atrocity they were forced to commit… And as always, they have a list of demands to deposit on my lap."

"Don't let them get to you. Nobles are like dogs; they bark and bark and bark, thinking they will get their way by doing so, but all you need to do is turn a deaf ear to them," Winter said. "And don't feel guilty about it. That will be your undoing. Pick the battles you know are worthwhile."

Weiss nodded faintly. "I believe prince Neptune is angry at me. At everyone in Vale, even," she sighed. "He is justified, of course. We brought him into a rebellion he had no business supporting, and he almost died because of it. He still feels the pain of his injury to this day."

"He is absolutely _not_ justified in his anger," Winter objected, her voice becoming harsh. "You made a proposal. He accepted, knowing fully what that entailed. And when he became a target, when disposing of him became the safest move for _our side_ , Glynda Goodwitch put her life on the line to save his. Ultimately, that almost led to our ruin."

Weiss bowed her head, grimacing. She felt like a child, listening to her sister speak of matters of state with such wise and experienced words. Weiss' view of the world was tainted by emotions which blinded her to how things truly were. Winter's was as clear as the surface of a lake.

"You are so much better than me when it comes to these matters. You should be the one sitting on the throne, sister."

"You sell yourself short," Winter shook her head. "Were it not for you, I would still be sleeping in the royal crypt."

"Maybe, but fighting Cinder Fall was not nearly as complicated as placating our own allies," Weiss said. "It's much easier to bring people together when you're suffering under the thumb of the same maniacal tyrant."

"Hmm. Well, then," Winter looked down at the city. "If you speak from the heart, if the burden truly is too hard for you to bear… I will ease you of it, as soon as I have my strength back."

"Thank you, sister. But I will always be there to help you."

They shared a moment of silence, Weiss leaning closer to her sister, inspecting her appearance. Her face hadn't got any less pale during the last couple of weeks since her awakening, but there were hard lines crossing it now, as if she were fighting off a terrible sickness.

"Winter," Weiss frowned. "Are you ill? Perhaps you should go back to bed?"

"It's only a slight headache. Nothing to worry about," Winter said. "Besides, I already slept for too long today."

"You mean, longer than usual?" Weiss asked. "Winter, you must tell me these things. If there is something bad happening to you, we must know of it as soon as possible."

"I'm fine," Winter turned her head up, breathing out exasperatedly. "Will it ease your mind if I lie down in bed?"

Weiss shook her head. Winter was not a child. If she thought she was fine, then so be it. If anything happened, there were always people nearby to help her.

She turned to look at the city, following the light of distant torches curiously. Dealing with the nobles was being difficult enough, but she had yet to address the common people. When the time came for that, she had no idea what she would do.

Suddenly, Weiss raised her head, an idea taking form quickly in her mind. "Winter, have you thought perhaps that you are not so weak physically, but more… emotionally?" She asked. "It has been a long time since you've left your room, and besides me and Ruby and Ozpin, you've barely talked to anyone."

"I… suppose you're correct." Winter said, tilting her head slightly.

"Perhaps that's the key to healing you," Weiss smiled. "A party. A big party to celebrate your return and Cinder Fall's demise."

Winter closed her eyes. "That… sounds nice, but… Wouldn't the nobility view that as tactless? I cannot imagine them being very receptive to the idea after all the horrible things that have happened."

"That's why they won't be the only ones invited," Weiss crossed her arms triumphantly. "Nobody will be left out. _Nobody_."

Winter frowned, following her line of sight to the city below. "That would be… different, certainly," she said. "It's unprecedented. But maybe you're threading a good path here, sister. If that's what you want, go ahead," she smiled. "You _are_ Queen, after all."

* * *

Ruby hugged her arms, an intense shiver running through her body. She felt a fierce wind blowing against her, and hundreds of snowflakes melting on her skin. Her eyes opened slowly to a vast whiteness, only the vague silhouette of Raven at her side breaking the monotony.

"Alright," she said, huffing in frustration. "This is just getting annoying now."

"Ruby?" Raven approached, dredging through the snow with great difficulty. She looked her up and down with a strange mixture of relief and worry. "Again. For the fifth time."

"You don't need to tell me," Ruby said, drawing her cloak around herself. "And you're still here."

"Indeed. Just when I start to think progress can't get any harder, the blizzard pushes back with even more force."

Raven pressed her palms together, then separated then, conjuring a small fire to drive away the cold in a small area around them.

"Maybe you should stop, then," Ruby said. "I mean, if you're having so much difficulty getting there… whatever you're gonna find at the end is not going to be any good."

"Oh, there's no doubt about that. It's only a matter of whom it isn't good for," Raven grinned. "No, I must keep going, at all costs. Besides, it's not as if I'm in any real danger."

"You don't know that." Ruby stated somberly.

Raven shrugged. She willed the fire to float on its own, then put her hands on Ruby's shoulders.

"Before I send you back… Have you found Yang? I haven't been able to sense her lately."

"No. Yes. Blake follows her every day, but she never tried to talk to her," Ruby said. "She has a feeling Yang wouldn't appreciate that very much."

"She's probably right," Raven sighed. "Don't worry yourself too much about it. Yang will come around eventually. Now, let me send you back."

Ruby closed her eyes. She felt Raven's power starting to take its effect on her, easing her back into the real world…

"Wait," she said, looking Raven's eyes. "When you get there… When you find out what Cinder was trying to hide… I want to know. I'm kind of very invested after getting dragged here so many times without an explanation."

"Of course. I did not expect anything less," Raven nodded. "Perhaps I can find some way to contact you. And I'll feel safe having you by my side when the time comes."

"Thank you, Raven," Ruby smiled. "For everything."

* * *

Ruby sat up in her bed, yawning and stretching her arms over her head. She blinked a few times, her vision slowly adjusting to the faint light illuminating her house. There were the usual candles, but also a small fire in the stove, over which was a pot which Blake was mixing with a spoon.

Being strenuously silent, Ruby stood up and snuck over to the faunus. Smiling mischievously, she wrapped her arms around her belly and leaned her head on her shoulder. "Surprise!"

"Or not," Blake's ears fidgeted slightly. "I heard you coming as soon as your feet hit the ground. Also, that yawn was monstrous."

"Hmm. It's the effort that counts," Ruby said. "What are you making?"

"Soup. With vegetables. At least that's the plan," Blake twisted her nose. "Don't blame me if we end up with something gooey and rancid."

"I don't know what rancid means." Ruby complained quietly.

"A very unpleasant smell."

"Ah. I should borrow some of your books."

"That would be difficult, since I borrow them from the castle library. Perhaps you could-"

Blake stopped talking, her ears perking up. She looked to the door and stepped away from the stove, guiding Ruby towards a wall with the back of her arm.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, and Yang came in, storming right through to the cage at the back. She grabbed the door and closed it, then looked at the two of them fiercely.

"Lock me up," she said hoarsely. "And don't _ever_ let me out."

Ruby brushed Blake's arm aside, stepping over to face her sister. She felt herself shaking as she looked Yang up and down, taking in her tense posture and fiery eyes.

"Yang. You've been gone for two weeks," she said. "Are you alright…?"

"What do you mean am I alright? What kind of question is that?!" Yang exclaimed, wrapping her fingers around the iron bars. "Of course I'm not alright! I'm going mad! I… I almost killed someone today!"

"Wait, what?" Blake took Ruby by the hand and pulled her back a little. "Who did you try to kill?"

"I didn't _try_ , obviously! I didn't get around to doing it, but I wanted to. Well, I didn't, but I did," Yang pressed her forehead against the cage, closing her eyes. "Listen. This is all you need to know. I'm turning into a monster, like when the Moon gets to me. Except now it's every minute of every day. So lock me up, or I swear…"

She cut herself short, a pained grimace twisting her face. Ruby looked at Blake for a moment, then walked forward, evading her grasp. She opened the door and walked in, then closed it behind her.

"You want to be locked up?" Ruby's eyes narrowed obstinately. "Fine. But I'll right here with you."

"Ruby!" Yang grabbed her arms. Her hands were hot, almost _too_ hot, but Ruby didn't care in the slightest. "Stop being stubborn. Get out. If you stay here, I'm going to… I'm going to tear you apart."

"No, I won't leave, and no, you won't do anything to me," Ruby said. "You're not a monster."

Yang let go of her, stepping back until her back hit the wall behind her. She slid down to the ground and lowered her head. "You don't understand. I'm going to hurt you. I'm going to hurt everybody… I'm just like Cinder. I'm a Fall."

Ruby crouched down by her side. "It doesn't matter if you're a Fall, or a Xiao Long, or anything," she said. "You're my sister. That's all that matters."

Yang sobbed, falling towards her. Ruby wrapped her arms around her head and rested her chin on her hair, smiling slightly. She looked up at Blake, still standing at the other side of the bars… and winked.

Blake stood still for a few seconds, then sighed and walked over to their bed. She shuffled around it for a while, then finally retrieved something from under the mattress. Silently, she returned to the door and inserted the key. She shared one last look with Ruby to confirm this is what she wanted, then turned it.

 _Click_.

* * *

 **Finally. Now Blake can run away from Vale, knowing that Ruby won't be able to chase after her. She's free at last. (but that's just an alternate universe, of course)  
**

 **Sorry for skipping an update. I actually inflicted myself with incredible self-loathing after writing a horrible, horrible take on that first scene. Seriously. I reread the first draft before getting back to work with this story... Dear God. It was so badly written. And while I do feel bad for skipping the update, I sincerely believe that was for the best. I simply wasn't going to come up with anything decent during that time period. Sorry!**

 **Also, every time I think I've nailed down how the last chapters of the story will go, things change. _Of Vale Blood_ is the fanfic that keeps on giving. (except when the author skips an update I guess THAT ROTTEN BASTARD)**

 **Anyway. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. The next one will be up at the expected time, promise.**

 **-Zeroan**


	30. Celebration

"Your Majesty. Prince Vasilias of Atlas requests an audience."

"Let him in."

The doors of the throne room opened, and Neptune walked in. He had a guarded posture about him, looking at the various guards in the room with suspicion. He stopped before the throne, cast a lasting glance at Ruby, who was leaning on its side watchfully, then bowed his head to Weiss.

"Queen Weiss."

"Neptune," Weiss replied casually. She knew tensions were high between the two of them, but she still hoped they could go back to being good friends. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

"I am making my departure on the break of dawn tomorrow," Neptune stated. "I've been away from home for far too long, and I believe I've seen enough of Vale for a decade."

"Yes. I cannot blame you for wanting to leave so soon," Weiss said. "But perhaps you could wait a week more? I would greatly appreciate your presence in the ball."

"To be honest, Your Majesty," he smiled bitterly. "I haven't been in a dancing mood lately," he bowed. "Now, if you'll excuse me… It was good seeing you. You should visit Atlas soon."

He turned and started to leave. Weiss bit her lip, then looked at Ruby and stood up. She walked quickly to catch up with Neptune, then grabbed him by the arm, stopping him.

"Neptune," she said. "I'm sorry you got hurt fighting my war."

"Don't worry about it. I don't blame you. Heck, I don't even blame Lady Goodwitch, may she rest well and all that," Neptune shrugged. "The problem is, it doesn't matter how I feel. I'm not king. And the king will no doubt have heard about everything that transpired here."

"Yes… that's true," Weiss frowned. "What does this mean for our kingdoms, then? Will I be forced to take arms again, so soon after my last battle?"

She looked away, realizing how her words sounded. The last thing she wanted was to escalate things, but it was hard to settle down after fighting for so long. She was lucky Neptune was – or used to be – her friend. Any other person would take what she said as a provocation of war.

"I hope not," Neptune answered. "I'll send letters to let you know what's happening. Until then, goodbye."

"Goodbye," Weiss said quietly. "Safe travels, prince."

She let go of his arm, and he walked out of the room. Weiss returned to her throne and sat down on it, rubbing her forehead tiredly.

"I am a terrible ruler."

"Oh, Weiss, you can't say that about yourself," Ruby said. " _I_ think you're a pretty good ruler."

"I am not a child, Ruby. Don't patronize me," Weiss sighed. "Besides, you only say that because I let you eat on the job."

Ruby looked guiltily towards the cookie she held hidden under her cloak. "Not true," she pouted. "Not entirely," she devoured the rest of the cookie in a second, then walked around her liege to stand in front of her. "You know what you need, Your Majesty? You need to have fun!"

Weiss raised an eyebrow at her. "I already have that covered with the ball," she said. "It was _my_ idea, remember?"

"Well, yes, but you need to have some fun _before_ the ball!" The redhead declared. "Preliminary fun. Something to prepare you… like dancing."

"Ruby Rose, are you asking me to dance with you?" Weiss crossed her arms. "That is so highly inappropriate, in so many ways, that the Council would throw a collective fit over it and likely exile me forever."

Ruby did not budge. Weiss smiled and got up.

"I've never heard a better idea."

* * *

Blake sipped her tea and looked over her book for a moment, inspecting the crowd that passed by them. She could feel people staring at her, the guardsmen holding their spears restlessly in her presence. No one was used to a faunus being in their midst, much less so casually and doing the things only humans were supposed to do.

It was a good feeling, to be out in the open at last, but at the same time it was incredibly scary. People don't like change, and some are likely to fight it when they see it right in front of their faces. But she wasn't about to let that ruin her day. And having Yang with her made her feel safer.

She wasn't doing this all for herself. In the end, the idea was to make Yang more comfortable with being around people. From the looks of it, that was working as well for her as it was for Blake.

"Yang?" Blake called calmly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," Yang mumbled, shifting in her seat. "You?"

"Same."

Yang lowered her head and took the sweet she had bought from the bakery she used to work for. The owner hadn't been too happy with her months-long absence, so when she had showed her face there, he had make it rather clear she would never be anything more than a customer.

Also, she was fairly sure he had charged her double. Yang would have complained, except… she wasn't doing well with anger these days. It was better to stay quiet than to risk an accident she could never come back from.

"Blake, can I ask you a question?"

Blake lowered her book to look at her. "Go ahead."

"I… I know how Ruby feels about me. She doesn't think I'm any more dangerous than I used to be, and that if things got bad, I would be able to stop myself from turning into a complete monster," Yang said. "But she's my little sister. I've always protected her, and she's always protected me. We're blind when it comes to each other."

"Ruby likes to think the best of people, but yes, that's especially true when it comes to you." Blake said.

"I can't let myself believe what she thinks of me is true," Yang leaned forward. "So, Blake. Do you think I'm dangerous? Do you think I'm a monster?"

Blake looked away, pondering the question. She closed her book and put it down on the table. "Why do _you_ think you're dangerous, Yang?"

. "I thought I made myself obvious the day I came back," Yang said impatiently. "Since I learned I'm a Fall, it's been getting harder and harder to keep myself in control. The monster is always here now, clawing at the surface. I can barely think straight, especially in the middle of so many people."

"I think being a Fall doesn't make you any more dangerous than you ever were," Blake said. "And, yes, I do think you are dangerous. But that doesn't have to mean anything unless you let it," her voice lowered. "I'm dangerous. But I'm still myself."

"That's different." Yang stated firmly.

"Is it?" Blake's eyes narrowed, and Yang flinched, realizing she had made a big mistake. "When Adam Taurus turned me into… whatever I am now, the first thing I did was slash Roman Torchwick's throat. Then I immediately went looking for Weiss, and when I did find her, I tried to kill her too," she paused. "Trust me, Yang, you're not the only person with a monster inside of them."

Yang stayed silent, lowering her eyes to the table. She trusted and respected Blake, but she wondered how reliable her words of wisdom were. Blake might be a fighter and she might have gone through similar experiences as her, but in the end, she still was a young woman tasting freedom for the first time. And she spent a lot of time with Ruby. Those things could warp one's view of the world, Yang thought.

"Can I ask you a question now?" Blake spoke up, setting her book to the side.

"What?" Yang steeled herself.

Blake pointed at her sweet. "Are you going to eat that?"

* * *

"Right foot, yes, now left – no – you just stepped on – _again_ – my toes!"

Weiss released hold of Ruby, and the redhead went spinning away through the courtyard, nearly tripping on her cloak. The queen put her hands on her hips and just stared at her expectantly.

"S-sorry," Ruby said when she finally steadied herself. "I'm not a very good dancer."

"I noticed. You go too fast, Ruby, when you should be taking it slow," Weiss pointed out. "But don't fret. I was also a terrible dancer when I started learning."

"And when was that?" Ruby asked.

"Well, my mother started my tutelage, so it was a very long time ago," Weiss said. "Come back here. We're going to keep trying until you can repeat this sequence flawlessly."

Ruby groaned in protest, but followed the order. Weiss took her hand and started the sequence again, and for a few seconds, everything went well, Ruby letting herself being lead gently through every step. Then suddenly, Weiss felt her toes being smashed once again by a boot.

"Alright, alright!" She shouted, jumping away. "You know what, this is enough. You can dance however you want, as long as you don't damage people in the process."

"Sounds tough, but fun too!" Ruby exclaimed, relieved to be free of Weiss' rigorous teaching.

Weiss sat down on a bench. Ruby followed a moment later, but not before making a quick run around the courtyard to make sure there were no threats nearby.

"Will your sister attend the ball?" Weiss asked.

"Uh, I… I don't know," Ruby frowned. "I thought you didn't want her there."

"I want everyone there. That's the whole point of it," Weiss noted. "And I don't want to be the kind of person who holds grudges. Cinder Fall taught me that."

Ruby nodded. "You know Yang didn't want to upset you, right? It's just that her…"

"Ruby, it really doesn't matter anymore. As long as she's willing to apologize, I am willing to forgive," Weiss said. "But I swear, if she tries to seduce me one more time, I will-"

"Woah, woah, what did you just say?" Ruby blinked. " _Seduce_ you? _Yang_?"

"Why, of course! Your sister is always trying to seduce me!" Weiss said angrily. "Every single time we see each other! She invades my personal space, she makes lewd suggestions, she calls me by those stupid, endearing names, and then she acts all coy like she's not doing all of that on purpose."

"But… she does that to everyone," Ruby said, then frowned. "Except me, I guess. And Blake. And Jaune, and Ozpin, and… everyone else, pretty much…" She crossed her arms. "Hmm…"

Weiss shook her head, choosing to stay silent and let Ruby come to her own conclusions, whatever they may be. She'd rather stay very far from that matter for now – or forever, if she had the choice.

Although… there might be one good thing that it might be good to talk about with Ruby. Perhaps she wasn't the best person to approach for the conversation, but at least Weiss could trust her to not speak a word of it with anybody else.

"Ruby, I have something I want to tell you. Something very important, _but_ ," she turned to stare down at Ruby. "If I learn you shared this with Blake or, heavens help me, _Yang_ , I will personally bring you to the topmost floor of the castle and throw you out of a window."

"You know, you are always making those threats… they've kind of lost their impact." Ruby pointed out.

"Alright, then," Weiss got up and turned her back to her. "I won't tell you my secret."

Ruby whimpered, jumping off the bench at the queen, almost knocking her to the ground. "No! You can't say something like that then not tell me! That's cruel!"

"Fine," Weiss smiled knowingly, turning around. "Sit back down."

Ruby obeyed immediately, looking up at her with pleading eyes. Weiss put her hands on her hips, then breathed out.

"This will sound selfish, and ungrateful, and… all sorts of dumb…" She said. "But sometimes… especially lately… I wish I hadn't been born royalty. I mean, it's a great life, evil witches and extremist rebels aside, but I've been noticing more and more that it's deprived me of so many wonderful things…"

"Like what?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Friends. Real friends, not ones appointed to me, or who befriended me because of my position," Weiss said. "Struggle. Which sounds bad, but it's a part of life. I don't think you're you until you've had to struggle for something," she paused. "Romance. That's always been forbidden, which is why I used to be attracted to Neptune. He was the only boy I was allowed to see, but of course he didn't like me the same way…" She sighed. "I've never _been_ with anyone. Not even in the slightest."

She stopped, looking down suddenly and clenching her fists.

"Actually, I suppose I have," she muttered. "Though I would rather forget it."

"Weiss," Ruby said firmly. "You haven't been with anyone. _At all_. Alright?"

The queen nodded mutely, then sat down again. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands.

"Yang told me how she felt when we merged. Supposedly, she liked it, therefore she insisted I must have liked it too," Weiss said. "She wasn't wrong, but of course I didn't tell her that. It felt… it felt like my wish had come true, if only for a moment. I was just a regular girl."

"Except for the fire witchery and being two people in one," Ruby blinked. "Has anyone said how weird that was?"

"Yes. I have. But it was pleasant, I suppose," Weiss blushed. "But it will _never_ happen again."

" _Sure_ ," Ruby eyed suspiciously. "And that's your secret?"

"Yes, and you will never tell her!" Weiss shouted. "If you do, I will lock you inside a carriage and export you to a faraway land, never to find your way back home."

"And how is that bad?" Ruby asked. "I would make an amazing export product."

"A land with no cookies!"

"Y-you monster!"

* * *

When the day of the ball arrived, Ruby and Weiss met with Winter, and together, they left the castle and descended to the city. They were leaving earlier than the other nobles, as the festivities would officially start at dusk, and they didn't want to get caught in a crowd.

While the royals wore formal dresses, Ruby chose to remain in her work uniform and cloak, in case anything went awry and she needed to protect her liege and friends. Ozpin had made sure that the Guard's presence in the event was strong, but it didn't hurt to be safe.

The town square and the surroundings streets had been decorated and fitted to the purposes of the ball, with several cooks and entertainers mounting stalls by the closed storefronts. Many people were gathered there already, forming masses that made walking through the area frustratingly difficult.

After many minutes of searching through the crowd, they found Blake waiting near the corner of a street. She stood to attention when she spotted them walking to her and smiled.

"I thought you would never show up," she said, then bowed her head slightly. "It's good to see you walking about, Lady Winter. You are feeling well again?"

"At last, I would say," Winter replied. "I'm pleased to see you, Lady Belladonna, was it? When I first met you, I never would have guessed you were a faunus."

"Yes," Blake said guardedly. "I hid it well. With good reasons."

"Don't misunderstand me. This only makes you more admirable in my eyes," the former queen stated. "I believe it's past time this kingdom sees change, and you are working to bring that at an alarming pace. I commend you for that."

Blake stared at her dubiously for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you," she turned to Weiss. "This ball was a great idea, Your Highness. I expected people to be reluctant to it, but most are actually very accepting of it. Perhaps it's due to the free food, but that's no reason not to be proud, right?"

"Why, that was by design." Weiss smirked, tapping her temple twice.

Ruby stopped ogling a passing food cart to look at Blake. "Is Yang not coming? She said she would come."

"Don't worry, she's just taking her time," Blake assured. "She was tearing through the house looking for something when I left."

"Figures she would leave preparations for the last second," Weiss muttered. She looked up at the sky, which was swiftly turning dark. "The celebrations should be starting soon. Winter, would you like to go to the town square and find some entertainment, perhaps dance a little?"

"That would be splendid." Winter agreed.

They started to go, and Ruby made to follow them, but Weiss spun around and pointed a finger at her. Ruby flinched, looking her up and down confusedly.

"You are dismissed for the rest of the night," Weiss said. "That's an order."

"But! I wore this to protect you! I even brought Crescent Rose with me!" Ruby protested, gesturing to the scythe on her back.

"I never asked you to do any of that. In fact, I tried to warn you, but you didn't listen," Weiss shook her head. "No. You're going to spend tonight with Blake. She deserves it. Besides, it's also a precaution in case she's getting jealous of your hanging around me so often."

"What?" Ruby crossed her arms indignantly. "That's ridiculous!"

"It is rather sensible, actually." Blake said, not betraying any emotion.

Ruby turned to face her, bewildered. Weiss took the opportunity to slip away with her sister, leaving the odd couple by themselves.

Blake tilted her head slightly, finding Ruby's continued staring very amusing. "Am I really such bad company, Ruby?"

"What?" Ruby blinked. "No! Blake, no! It's just…" she looked down awkwardly. "I don't know how to spend time with you in public."

"So? Remember, we are in the same boat when it comes to romance. I'm just as clueless as you are," Blake noted. "Let's figure this out, then. We could study how other couples are behaving in such a setting. Or we could improvise."

Ruby looked around, finding no other couples in the near vicinity. She turned back to Blake and stepped forward, taking her hand.

"Remember the last ball we attended?" She asked. "We didn't get to dance together."

"Right. We didn't," Blake said. "What are you suggesting?"

"Let's make up for that," Ruby smiled. "Fair warning, though… Protect your toes."

* * *

Under the snow, her foot hit something solid.

Raven looked up, her eyes widening as she realized that finally, after weeks of tortuous marching, she had arrived at her destination. She reached out, laying a hand against the frozen sphere, Cinder's prison.

The ice was vibrating, sometimes barely noticeably, sometimes so intensely her entire body shook in response. It was as if two forces were clashing at the other side, two voices carrying a conversation, or a shouting match. One was weak, under attack. The other one was stronger, the one making the attack.

Raven grit her teeth and raised a fist, enveloping it in flames.

* * *

Yang closed her eyes, slowly adjusting to the sensation of being in a crowd once again. Flames called to her from every direction, but she steeled herself and ignored them. She couldn't afford to slip now, not after fighting for so long.

She looked around, searching for familiar faces in the crowd. Nora and Ren were getting food from a faraway stall, and near them was Sun, although he was sitting on the edge of a rooftop, eating a banana. Yang raised a hand in greeting, and he did the same before getting up and jumping away and out of her sight.

"You better not get into trouble." She muttered, all the while knowing she was hoping for too much.

She took another look of her surroundings. The people who weren't busy eating and drinking were instead dancing to the sound of the crown's contracted musicians and traveling bards. Among them, Yang spotted her sister and Blake. To her surprise, they seemed to be doing rather well. Blake didn't look to be in any pain, at least.

"Hey, Yang."

She nearly yelled, spinning around and raising a fist before realizing it Jaune who had approached her. He was in Guard uniform, with sword and pistol at his hip.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said sheepishly. "Hey. You look beautiful."

"Huh?" Yang looked down at herself and her beaten white dress. It had been hidden for months under a pile of clothes and other things, and she hadn't had the time to make it more presentable. "Thanks. I… like your uniform."

"Uh, yeah, I'm working," Jaune shrugged. "General Ozpin put me in charge of a squad, actually. We're supposed to watch over the town square."

"That's great, Jaune! You're finally getting the promotion you deserve!" She paused. "Well, you deserve it _now_. You were… _undeserving_ before," she flashed him a big smile. "Come on, let's celebrate with a dance!"

"What?" Jaune flinched. "I just told you I'm working."

"I wasn't asking."

Yang dragged him into the crowd, then took his hand and guided it to her hip. Jaune looked very confused, and more than that, guilty. Yang sighed.

"Look, Jaune. If you don't want to do this, it's fine. I get it," she said. "But lately, I've been too stressed about far too many things. I'm screwed up. And depending on how my plans for tonight go, I might end up even more screwed up by the end of it. So… I just want to enjoy a dance with a friend. If you'll help me…"

"Alright," Jaune nodded. "Let's dance, then."

Suddenly, they were locked into a dance, him spinning her in a circle around him before letting her fall for a moment, only to catch her with an arm around her back. Yang looked up at him, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"What?" He smiled. "You thought you were going to mesmerize me with your dance moves?"

"I… I thought you didn't know how to dance." Yang gulped.

"My sisters made sure I was a dance master," Jaune said. "Shall I mesmerize you now, Lady Xiao Long?"

"Did you just call me Lady?" She grinned, standing up and taking hold of his arm. "Oh, you're in for it now, boy."

* * *

Away from the town square and the surroundings streets, the city was rather quiet. Nearly everyone had left their homes to take part in the festivities. It was both a blessing and a curse, as it made it easier to see any dangerous individuals coming, but at the same time, those same individuals might be emboldened by the emptiness.

Ozpin cast Winter a sideways glance, noting that she was once again rubbing her forehead. She had mentioned a headache before, a slight one, but by the way she was acting, it seemed worse than her words implied.

"We could head back to the castle," he suggested. "Your sister can handle the event on her own. She will understand."

"No, no. I'm fine. I promise," Winter shook her head. "It'll pass."

"You don't know that," Ozpin said. "The aftereffects of Fall's curse… Nobody truly knows."

"General. I want to see the breach for myself," she stated, her voice cutting like a knife. "After that, I will follow your wishes."

Ozpin frowned, not liking the idea, but he didn't object further.

After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived before the east wall, where the first Grimm breach had occurred. It was being rebuilt fast after months of neglect during Cinder's reign. Half of it was covered now, and there were many more guards standing watch on top of the wall and on the ground.

"They are hard at work," Winter said. "Good. Another breach would be disastrous. The people's trust in the crown is already faltering… I don't like to imagine what would happen if we broke their trust one more time."

"Yes. It was with that in mind that I increased work on the breaches," Ozpin said. "The northwest watchtower is also being rebuilt. It should be finished in a week or two."

"And the Grimm?" Winter asked.

"Agitated. They always are at the changes of seasons, but recent happenings inside the city have tempted them greatly too," the general answered. "It's fortunate we ended Fall's reign when it did. She was so careless, I fear a large-scale invasion would have happened soon if she remained in charge."

"Yes," Winter nodded. "Very fortunate, indeed."

She gasped, clutching her forehead once again. Her knees buckled, and she doubled over, groaning. Ozpin made to touch her, but she slapped his hand away.

"I'm…" She grunted. "Damnit… Just give me a moment. I'll be better."

Ozpin frowned, taking a step back and grasping his cane with more force.

* * *

The last layer of ice shattered under her punch. Raven stumbled through to the other side, sighing in wonder as she was suddenly out of the blizzard. The silence was almost unsettling.

It didn't last for long, as now she could hear the two voices clearly.

"Leave me… You won't… use me…"

"I _will_. Stop fighting! You are only making this more painful for yourself!"

"N-never…"

Raven looked up, noticing what looked to be a Shade kneeling on the ground, shimmering and squirming, its back turned to her. She approached, holding her breath in suspense. There weren't two voices, but one, coming from the same entity.

She stopped behind the Shade, reaching a hand towards its shoulder… but suddenly, a heat wave struck her, the air rippling like flames and pushing her back. The snow melted under her feet, and the grass beneath caught fire.

The Shade stopped squirming. Its head turned, revealing a pale face and two eyes, one blue, one amber.

"You…" it voiced hauntingly. "Why must you always _interfere_?!"

The Shade shimmered, and flames poured out of it, before spinning around themselves and forming a vague outline. Suddenly, Raven was facing Cinder Fall.

"I've had enough of you," the witch growled. " _Leave_!"

She thrust an arm, and Raven went flying backwards, almost back into the blizzard, but she dug a hand into the ground and pulled herself forward. She raised her head, only to see Cinder had turned to face the Shade.

Except it wasn't a Shade anymore.

"Give up," Cinder said. "Let go of your pride, and become one with me, as it always should have been."

Winter Schnee looked up at her, rebellion sparking in her eyes.

"Over my dead body."

* * *

After what felt like an eternity, Winter stopped heaving, as if suddenly she were completely fine. Ozpin offered a hand, looking down at her worriedly.

"We must go back now," he said. "Do not argue. You aren't Queen anymore, you have not authority over me."

"Indeed," Winter laughed lightly, standing up with his help. "I am not Queen anymore."

She let go of his hand and stepped back, looking up at the sky with a smile on her face. Ozpin stared at her, disturbed by her sudden change in demeanor.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Winter said. "No. Actually, I am glad you did. It's forced me into a tough position, and given me some much-needed clarity…" She tilted her head sideways, looking at him as if his soul were exposed. "I'm tired of playing games. I'm tired of being fair to you rats. You are below me, and I will take what's mine."

She walked forward, closing a hand around his throat. Her blue eyes changed to a terrifying red, two flames, like gateways to Hell.

"It could have been great for everyone. _I_ would have lead this kingdom to greatness. Vale, capital of the world… But you and your little soldier girls have deprived me of my generosity. You poked the dragon until it awakened, and now you're caught in its maw."

She slammed him down on the floor, head-first. Blood splattered, but he didn't slip away. Ozpin grunted, closing his hands around her wrist and trying to push her off.

"I will raze your city with my own hands. I will turn it all to ashes, along with anyone who stands in my way. Those who are left, those who haven't tested my patience, they will have the privilege of rebuilding Vale in my image."

She brought him up, lifting him off his feet with her hand around his throat. Her other hand rose, pointing towards the unfinished wall. A barrage of flames launched from her palm, blasting the stone and bricks and sending them flying everywhere, revealing the defrosting fields beyond.

"Don't be sad, General. Your time is over, but in your death, you will serve your kingdom honorably, one last time."

Ozpin shouted hoarsely, swinging an arm towards her face. She blocked with her free hand, not even flinching from the blow.

"Congratulations," Cinder smiled. "You will be the spark that lights it up."

* * *

 **Because things can never be good for too long.**

 **I hope that twist landed well with everyone. I made a deliberate effort to not hint it ahead of time, at least not in the same ways I hinted Summer was not Summer. One way you could predict that twist, however, is by looking back at some elements of the story (like Ruby's awakening, or everything about Raven) and notice something's not adding up. But I'll leave that for you guys to figure out, I don't wanna pat myself on the back for too long.**

 **Anyways. Next chapter should be _huge_. We're _very_ close to the end. Until then! Thanks for reading!**

 **-Zeroan**


	31. Scatter

"Alright. That's, uh, that's enough, Jaune," Yang said, slipping from his hold in a way she hoped had been only half as clumsy as she imagined. "I'll concede that you are a good dancer."

He grinned at her, one eyebrow rising slightly. It was a bit infuriating to see him acting so smugly, if only because he wasn't doing it on empty ground. "Just good?"

"Excellent, then," she grumbled under her breath, smoothing the sleeves of her dress. After a while, she shook her head and smiled at him. "But really, Jaune, this was nice. Thank you for sharing this moment with me… and helping me get warmed up."

"Warmed up?" He repeated, clueless as to what she meant.

Yang didn't clear his doubts, instead turning around and scanning the town square, finding her target in mere seconds. She had been acutely aware of where the queen had been since she had arrived at the celebration, as if they were connected somehow.

She realized the connection must go both ways, for as soon as she laid eyes on her, Weiss stopped her dance with her current partner and met her gaze. The queen immediately turned her face away, but Yang wouldn't let her off that easily, making her way to her. Sighing, Weiss bade her partner a good party and waited for Yang to get to her.

"So, princess," Yang said, stopping before her. "Here I am. Invited and all that."

"Yes. Here you are," Weiss joined her hands behind her back, eyes never leaving Yang's. "I suppose you have something to say to me?"

Yang opened her mouth to speak, but Weiss' gaze stopped her in her tracks. The confidence she had been building up for this moment had vanished all of a sudden, kidnapped by those two blue orbs. There was anger written in them, and behind them, a drop of hurt.

"I'm… I'm very sorry."

Weiss tilted her head to the side, her face betraying no emotion. "Sorry for what?"

No mercy. She really was going to make her say it all out loud. Yang supposed that was only fair. "I'm sorry for how I treated you the last time we met. And before that too, I guess," she forced herself to say. It wasn't that she didn't want to apologize, it was just hard to put her feelings into words. "I've been… going through some changes. I think you can imagine what those are. And I've been… terrified, to be honest. And it took you pushing me away for me to realize that."

Weiss' brow furrowed slightly. Finally, her cold attitude seemed to be thawing a little. "What do you mean by that?"

"I-I don't know," Yang bowed her head, too nervous to face Weiss anymore. "I thought with the whole, uhm, merging thing we did before you… understood what was happening to me? But I was obviously crossing some lines. So, yeah, I'm very sorry."

Weiss continued to stare at her as intently as ever. Despite the music and the hundreds of people dancing around them, Yang felt as if the world had suddenly gone silent. She found herself wishing it stayed that way, because she had a feeling whatever came next, she probably wouldn't like to hear.

"…Apology accepted."

Yang looked up, surprised. "Huh?"

"Oh, don't be daft, Xiao Long," Weiss scoffed. "You heard me. I accept your apology. That doesn't mean your previous behavior is excused, and I'm _certainly_ not giving you the go ahead to make any _advances_ on me, _but_ ," she looked away. It seemed it was her turn now to be coy. "I do understand what you're talking about. Not completely. But… the merging, or whatever you want to call it, did give me a deeper understanding of who you are. And…"

Weiss shut her mouth, cutting off her phrase unceremoniously. Yang leaned forward, resisting the urge to shake her by the shoulders. " _And_?"

Weiss sighed dramatically. "And I suppose I could help you deal with what you're going through. Provided you help me too."

"That sounds great! Yes, I'll help you!" Yang exclaimed cheerfully. "With what, though?" Weiss looked away again, her cheeks coloring. "Oh. _I see_. You just want my company, don't you?"

Weiss groaned audibly, then in a move which Yang would expect more from herself, and certainly not the queen, turned and grabbed her hand.

"Just shut up and dance with me."

* * *

The music had changed over the last half hour, from energetic tunes that carried the message of a well-earned victory and a bright future, to slower songs, accompanied by the sweet voices of local minstrels. They could be interpreted as mournful, but Blake chose to view them another way. She had been going fast for too long, she thought, and it wasn't just because of whom she had chosen to be with. Now was an opportunity to bask in the peace they'd earned…

It also helped that the slower pace meant that Ruby wasn't stomping on her toes every five seconds anymore. Blake hadn't complained, of course, having found the redhead's enthusiasm and her constant attempts to correct herself very endearing. But she was glad she would get to walk away mostly unharmed by the end of the celebration.

"Hey," she whispered in Ruby's ear. "I'm glad I'm with you. And that you… ignore the ugly in me."

She paused, hesitating to voice her next thought.

"I love you."

She had expected Ruby to make some cute noise in response, or maybe, in the best case, repeat her words back, but instead, there was only silence. Ruby didn't much as stir.

"Ruby?" Blake took careful hold of her partner and pulled her off her shoulder. Her eyes were forced shut, head lolling slightly to the side. "Damnit. Not now…"

Upset as she was, Blake didn't let the surprise get to her too bad. Making sure not to draw too much attention, she lifted Ruby up in her arms and made her way through the crowd until she found a quiet place between two houses. She sat down with her back against a wall and laid Ruby down, letting her lean on her.

It was inconvenient, yes, but looking at how calm and cute Ruby was now, Blake couldn't stay angry anymore. Smiling, she ran a hand through the bodyguard's hair and just waited quietly for her to wake up.

* * *

"What the-"

Ruby didn't have time to finish, a wave of cold and hot air mixed together sending her reeling back, almost falling off her feet. She flailed her arms desperately, trying to find something to hold onto, but she could see only the white of a terrible snowstorm and the black of all-consuming smoke.

A hand closed around her wrist and pulled her away. Slowly, Ruby got back on her feet and regained her balance. She looked up and met eyes with Raven.

"Raven?!" She screamed over the noise of the blizzard. "What's happening? I was just dancing with Blake! How is this fair?!"

Raven turned her around, protecting her from the violent weather with her own body. "Ruby, you've been brought back here several times for a reason. All that's happened, it can't have been just an unfortunate side-effect of the curse!" She concentrated, creating a thin layer of fire around them. "I think I know why. You needed to be here, to find out and come back and warn everyone that-"

Ruby cut her off with a scream, seeing a Shade suddenly appear behind her, but it was no regular Shade. It was monstrous, it's form growing and shrinking and reshaping itself ununiformly, and with two eyes glowing where there should be none, one red, one white, both with unfathomable depths behind them.

It closed a hand around Raven's shoulder and tossed her away. Ruby froze as she watched her friend and mentor disappear in the bleak white, then flinched when the Shade turned to her and roared in her face, the sound deafening her temporarily.

Then the red eye seemed to twinkle with some emotion, and suddenly, she was looking at Winter Schnee… and Cinder Fall, in her original body.

"You…" Cinder stumbled back, eyes fixed on her. "Why won't you _let me be_?!"

She lunged towards Ruby, but just before impact, Winter regained her bearings and flicked a wrist, blasting her away with a dose of frost magic. Panting, the royal turned to look at Ruby.

"Rose! You need to get away from here!" She shouted. "You need to find some way to warn my sister that I'm not-"

" _ROYAL BRAT_!"

Cinder appeared again, colliding against Winter and dragging her to the ground. She locked her hands around Winter's throat, and then their bodies began to merge, the Shade from before slowly taking form again in a way Ruby's mind couldn't even comprehend.

Not hesitating another second, Ruby turned and ran through the blizzard, shouting for Raven.

* * *

If before the world had gone silent, now it had disappeared. It was she, and her. Royal and peasant. Fire and ice. Violet and blue and red and white. One and the same.

 _I'm sorry._

 _You've already apologized._

 _But I'm not forgiven. I shouldn't be._

 _Why would you say that?_

 _I'm just like her._

 _You are not._

 _She hurt you. Just like I did._

 _You never hurt me. Thank you._

 _Thank you?_

 _You don't treat me like I'm above everyone else. And you don't despise me either. In your eyes, I'm just me._

 _Annoying and arrogant and lacking in humor._

 _All of that. But I'm trying to get better. You're helping._

 _Do you think we could do it- Nevermind, forget that. I shouldn't-_

 _Yes. Let's do it. Right now._

They stopped their dance, locking in position. Yang's arm wrapped around Weiss and supported her as she slowly, carefully lowered her close to the ground, leaning down to accompany her. Violent on blue, violent on blue, they were growing closer and closer, cold and warm breaths joining together…

And then a shrill scream broke them from their trance. Yang and Weiss blinked, took in each other's expressions, then stood up without mentioning what had been about to happen.

"What was that scream?" Weiss asked, throwing away the awkwardness with ease.

"I don't recognize the voice, so there's that," Yang said. "Maybe someone got hurt by accident, or maybe someone tried to be sneaky with the food?"

"It's _free food_ ," Weiss reminded. "Why would anyone be sneaky with-"

More screams. Suddenly, the crowd was running in all directions, people fleeing the square as if their lives depended on it. Weiss almost got shoved to the ground and trampled, but Yang pulled her close and kept them both protected from the careless masses.

And then Winter's voice rang through.

"Fine. Run, then, ungrateful rats. I will be dealing with each one of you eventually anyway."

Weiss froze. At the eastern edge of the square stood Winter, hair disheveled and the lower half of her legs exposed where her dress had been torn. In front of her, on the ground, was a body. Mangled, head cracked, skin charred in several places…

Ozpin.

Weiss' horror only grew when she looked up again and saw fire burning in her sister's eyes.

"No," she muttered, then repeated it. "No. No! _No_!"

Something snapped inside her. Enough things had been taken from her. She had not fought to get it all back only to lose it all again. Especially not her own sister. Mustering her magic, Weiss stepped forward.

"Weiss, no!" Yang shouted, grabbing her arm. "Not now! We need to find Ruby and Blake first!"

"There's no time!" Weiss shoved her away. "You go find them! I am not going to watch helplessly as she ruins everything _again_!"

She raised her arm with her palm open and fired off a bolt of ice towards Cinder. Just before it made impact, the witch lifted her hand, almost casually, and blocked the attack with a white glyph.

Her eyes turned over to Weiss and Yang. She smiled.

"Hello, sisters."

She spread her arms. Her left hand was surrounded by a fiery aura, the right by an icy one. She lowered them, but still kept the magic active, and slowly walked towards them.

"I have to thank you two, insufferable as you are," Cinder said. Her voice was strange, a mix of Winter's with a stranger's – her original one, most likely – and that last one seemed to be louder than the former. "You see, I spent _years_ of my life convinced I had to _work_ my way to using a royal's body. Fall magic, Schnee magic, they don't mix well. Or so I believed…"

Suddenly, she turned into a fiery blur and moved too fast for them to track. She reappeared right in front of Yang, holding her chin delicately.

"And then you came along and _forced_ your way into her," Cinder chuckled. "Oh, if only I had been so bold. But I suppose I didn't get this far taking risks at every turn. Sometimes it's best to study another's success before you try to replicate it for yourself."

"Now," she raised her hand, trailing a finger across Yang's cheek. "I've said this enough times already. You are on the wrong side of this, little one, but it's not your fault. You're lost. You had no one to guide you. But I'm here now. Join me, blood of my blood, and we'll raze this city to the ground together," she took a step back. "Just say the word, my sister Fall."

Yang didn't speak, didn't move, didn't breathe. Her eyes were on Cinder and nowhere at the same time. Blood of my blood. The fire inside of her, she could feel it stronger than ever, screaming for freedom. She just had to give in, and all her troubles would be over…

And then she felt another hand, a colder, gentler one, close around her own. She looked back and met eyes with Weiss. They nodded.

Without a word, Yang burst into flames and swirled around the queen, not harming her at all. Weiss closed her eyes, letting the transformation take place. Now that she was prepared for it, she realized how soothing it was. As if it was meant to be.

She opened Her eyes. They were a whitish shade of red now. Her body flowed with power. She flexed her hands and felt sparks arc through Her fingers.

She faced the witch and spoke, Her voice a perfect union of Weiss' and Yang's.

"I am not your blood. I am not a Fall, or a Schnee, or a Xiao Long, or a Rose. I am of Vale blood."

Cinder's expression went through so many emotions, it was hard to tell each apart. For a moment, she faltered, then stood tall again. "This is your last day on Remnant."

In the blink of an eye, Cinder crossed the distance between them, the air rippling behind her, and crashed into Her. Like a comet they moved through the town square, the ground beneath them giving and shattering. They broke through the fountain at the center, at which point She managed to grab hold of Cinder and spun them around, then shoved her away.

Moving instinctively, She thrust an arm out and released a fiery blast that would have struck Cinder directly, had she not ducked just in time. The blast instead landed on a building at the edge of the square, which stood no chance, crumbling to pieces immediately. Cinder looked back at the destruction, then at Her, her eyes wide with rage – how dare anyone but her wield such terrible power?!

Screaming, Cinder rocketed at Her again, this time scoring a powerful blow to the face with her elbow. Rolling with the blow, She let herself be knocked away, but still kept firm on Her feet. As Cinder went to strike again, She raised her arms together, surrounding herself with a solid block of ice. Cinder's fist connected with it with a deafening sound. A crack appeared in the ice, but no more damage was wrought.

"Hiding? Is that what you're going to do with all that power?" Cinder screamed. "Do not mock me!"

Composing herself briefly, the witch stepped away and joined her hands in front of her. After a moment of concentration, she spread them apart in a sudden movement, and the ice parted swiftly, breaking into smaller and smaller pieces until there was nothing left of it to be seen.

As Cinder began to smile in victory, She burst out of her hiding place, fist outstretched. The attack had all the strength of a Fall, coupled with a Schnee's magic – Cinder couldn't remember ever suffering something like that. She was sent flying away to collide against a building and bring it to collapse too.

Raising her chin in a very Weiss-like manner, She walked over slowly. "Have you had enough yet?"

Before She made it all the way to Cinder, something stopped Her in Her tracks. A shift in the air, a foreboding feeling. A distant sound, growing louder and louder. And then She realized.

"You didn't," She looked at Cinder rising out of the rubble. "Why?! Have you lost your mind?"

"No. Just the contrary, I'd say," Cinder said. "I spent sixteen years of my life conquering this city. Piece by piece, move by move, I wrapped my fingers around Vale… only to be opposed by a bunch of ungrateful, righteous brats and have it all taken away from me," she spread her arms and started to float off the ground, the air currents around her becoming visible because of the cold. "So I've decided I don't need any of this. I don't need this city, and I certainly don't need its miserable populace. And when everything and everyone you love lays in ruins, you will come to the same conclusion. I. Am. Fall!"

Just as she finished speaking, as if responding to her voice, the Grimm came pouring in from the streets, a horde even bigger than the first Breach's. Summoning all Her power, She slowly rose from the ground and started to take aim – and was viciously struck down, Cinder pressing Her against the concrete, her body giving off waves of heat and cold that would have ended anyone else immediately.

"This is the end of your reign, sister."

* * *

Cursing under his breath, Jaune pressed himself to a wall, barely in time to avoid having his head lobbed of by a Beowolf's lunge. Quick as he could with his shaking fingers, he reloaded his pistol, then took aim.

The first round landed at the center of the creature's armored back, doing nothing but annoy it. The second and third missed completely. As the Grimm turned to cut him down, Jaune focused and fired his last shot directly at its roaring mouth. The Beowolf fell down and shortly turned to smoke.

He nearly dropped his pistol in relief, but the screams surrounding him stopped him from doing so. No, he couldn't be weak right now. He had to be strong, as Pyrrha and Ozpin had believed he could be. And if there was one thing Jaune meant to do before he went, it was to prove them right.

Reloading again, he stepped out into the street and looked around. Everywhere he looked were townsfolk running from the Grimm, while the few Guardsmen and fighters that remained made up a stand to protect them. But separated and uncoordinated, it was only a matter of time before the resistance was overwhelmed and the city was doomed forever.

He saw Coco and Velvet fending off a trio of Boarbatusks that were advancing on a corner family. Thinking fast, he ran to her, shooting one of the Grimm as he went. The distraction was just what Coco needed to finish the job, cutting them down with her short sword.

"Coco! Velvet!" He yelled. "I need your help!"

"No shit, really?" Coco rolled her eyes. "What's it, twerp?"

"We can't afford to keep going like this. We won't last fighting in the streets, killing the Grimm as we find them," Jaune said, assuming a commanding tone of voice he didn't know he was capable of. "Velvet!"

The faunus jumped a little, startled by his sudden outburst. "Y-yes?"

"I want you to run up to Vale Castle and get the guards to open the gates. I don't care what they say, that's happening! Knock them out if you need to!"

Velvet nodded and ran away.

"Coco! I want you to find every fighter down here, group up, then head up to the castle! That's where we'll make a stand. Spread the word – everyone is to run there if they want to be safe!"

"Yes, boss." Coco replied. She blinked, as if realizing she had just said, then shook her head and walked away, repeating his words to anyone who could hear.

"As for me…"

Jaune looked up at the sky. It was like a storm brewing, a storm of fire and frost. Two streaks of light, like falling stars, colliding again and again. They would stop for the briefest of moments, during which he could see the Queen and her sister.

Or, more aptly put, Cinder Fall, back in another victim's flesh.

"…nothing good, I'm sure."

* * *

"Raven!"

Ruby jumped over a mount of snow, her cloak fluttering behind her. As soon as her feet were on the ground again, she broke into a run, knowing a second's delay could spell her doom. She had felt danger before in the dreamscape, but this time it felt more real than ever before. Why would Cinder pursue her with such fervor if not to enact her ultimate vengeance?

"Raven!"

She had gone in the right direction, right? This was the way Raven had gone. Or not. Was there even a right direction? This was Cinder's realm, her playground where reality was her favorite toy. If she wanted Raven out of the way, what was to say she hadn't done something about that already?

"Raven – eep!"

Suddenly she was yanked back, the fabric of her cloak pressing against her neck painfully. Ruby was turned around violently, her eyes widening as she came face to face with the Shade. Silent, the manifestation leaned close. If it had had any sort of breath, Ruby would have felt it, but as it was, she felt only a sense of dread that chilled her to the bone.

"N-now, uh, Cinder…" She spoke, trying to keep herself from shaking as much as she could. "I mean, Winter… You don't want to hurt me. Y-you said it yourself! I need to warn Weiss and-"

The Shade let her go, lunging backwards and releasing an inhuman sound. Anger, and… anguish? It hunched over, eyes shining brightly.

Ruby looked back. She could take this opportunity to escape and look for Raven again, but she had a feeling the Shade would return to chasing her down as soon as she turned away. Gathering all her courage, she took a couple steps closer to it.

"Y-yes, that's right. Weiss. She's your sister, remember, and you love her. That's why you c-can't give in… You have to fight for Weiss."

The Shade roared again, somehow even more horribly than the last time. It threw itself to the ground and started to trash around. Its form started to waver, sometimes resembling Winter, then Cinder, but never for more than an instant.

Carefully, Ruby stepped back, keeping her eyes glued to the creature. She almost felt sad for it. But she couldn't help it, not now.

Silent, she turned and disappeared in the snowstorm.

* * *

Breathing hard, She stabilized, bringing Herself to a halt in midair. She looked down and saw Cinder building up another attack. Bringing Her arms in a cross-shape in front of Her, She conjured a protection glyph, deflecting away the barrage of fire and ice.

 _We need to fight back_.

 _No. She's getting tired. Just wait._

 _You're wrong, she's not getting tired. Neither are we. But we are more powerful than her. You can't hesitate anymore._

 _I'm not hesitating!_

 _Right,_ we _are hesitating. But it's your fault._

 _Oh, I see, so when we're beating her it's because we're cooperating, and when we're losing, it's my fault?!_

 _It's not like that. Come on, Weiss. I know it's hard, but we have to – wait, what's happening?_

She blinked, looking down again. Cinder had stopped floating and was now falling down fast. She made impact with the ground, knocking away slabs of concrete, then got on her knees and clutched her head in her hands.

Frowning, She floated down to ground and stood in front of Her enemy. She opened Her mouth to say something, but then She heard something – a soft whisper, repeated again and again, like a desperate plea.

…get out get out get out get out get out get out…

"You were wrong, after all," She said, putting her hands on her hips. "You can't just force Fall and Schnee magic to mix. Obviously Winter wanted none of that, and now you're paying the price for ignoring her."

Cinder looked up. Her eyes flashed blue for an instant, then returned to red. "Quiet, you vermin…" She forced through gritted teeth. "You delude yourself with this so-called unity. You cannot agree on anything. If you could, you would have killed me already, but here I am," she spat. "I know power, and only power, is the key. When I subjugate Winter, I will destroy-"

Cinder choked, holding her stomach. Her eyes turned blue again and stayed that way.

"Weiss," Winter said, looking up pleadingly. "Do it."

They stared at each other, the chaos around them forgotten completely in the moment. She started to raise her fist… then lowered it again.

The world went black and white. Weiss stumbled to the side, covering her mouth with her hands. Yang fell to the ground, shaking her head as if in a daze. They looked at each other, utterly confused.

Winter stood up, her eyes red again.

"As I said," Cinder said. "You delude yourselves."

She pointed one hand at each of them. Yang jumped and tackled Weiss, protecting her from the magical attack with her body. They fell down, facing each other.

"I'm sorry," Weiss said, tearing up. "I couldn't…"

"I know. I understand," Yang grunted. "But what do we do now?"

Instead of giving an answer, Weiss stood up and conjured a glyph, protecting them both from a barrage of fire from Cinder. It held for a while, but the attack only got stronger, until finally the barrier broke and the blast struck Weiss, sending her flying back several meters.

"Now, you…" Cinder froze, her eyes shifting again. "Get out," she shook her head violently. "No! Will you be quiet?!"

Yang got up, punching with all her might while Cinder was distracted. The witch reeled back, surprised but not hurt. She blinked, eyes blue then red then blue then red…

Grimacing, Cinder yelled at the top of her lungs and lifted off the ground, then flew away, tearing through buildings indiscriminately.

Weiss walked back to Yang, limping a little. "She's not in control."

"Neither is Winter," Yang said. "We need to regroup. Maybe we can figure out a plan to take her down for good, since she's so unstable."

"For good?" Weiss sighed. "I… Yes. Let's do that."

"I'm sorry," Yang looked around. Grimm were starting to surround them, as if their separation had given them courage to attack finally. "Where's my sister?"

* * *

Blake yelled, falling shoulder-first on the ground. She rolled over Ruby and straddled her, then raised her dagger above her head. The Grimm fell directly on it and turned to smoke.

She stood up again and started to drag Ruby away, ignoring her aching shoulder. She looked over her shoulder, only to see two Ursai waiting at the end of the alleyway. Blake let go of Ruby and drew her other dagger, then leaped at the monsters.

She slashed at the first's eyes, disorientating it, then passed through it as a shadow. The other towered over her, already bringing its arm down. Blake had no time to dodge, the blow catching her arm and slamming her against the wall. She grit her teeth and kicked against the wall, sending herself back. She buried her daggers on the Ursa's neck, then pulled back as it turned to smoke.

The first one recovered and clawed her in the small of her back, catching her off-guard. Blake wobbled forward, pain racing up her spine. She steeled herself, turning as the beast closed in on her, jaw open wide… She turned into a shadow, passed through, then spun, slashing the Ursa's head off.

Breathing hard, Blake returned to Ruby and kneed beside her. She checked her quickly for injuries. Ruby was fine, at least physically, as far as she could tell. It would help a lot if she woke up, but with no hint of that happening anytime soon, Blake just had to deal with protecting her as she was.

This is not how she had imagined this night would go.

The moment of peace was quickly interrupted by a screech from above. Blake looked up and saw a Griffon sticking its head into the alley, opening and closing its beak, trying to grab at them. Her blood ran cold.

She couldn't run out of the alleyway, not while carrying Ruby with her. The Griffon would catch them in no time. But if she stayed where she was, it would eventually find a way to get to them, and the ruckus it was causing would soon attract other Grimm.

"Alright," Blake whispered, looking at Ruby. "This would be a _really great_ time for you to wake up."

She heard a familiar yell up above. The Griffon fell off the roof and crashed on the floor, shaking its head. Sun landed on top of it, smacking it over and over again with his staff, until finally, it laid still and died.

"Hey, Blake!" He said, waving cheerfully. "What a coincidence meeting you here!"

"Sun! Behind you!" Blake got up and threw a dagger, hitting a Beowolf just as it was about to bite into his shoulder.

Sun looked at the dissipating smoke with wide eyes for a moment, then shrugged and ran to her. "Blake, we have to get to the Castle! Jaune's making a stand there!" He looked at Ruby. "Uh, what's up with Ruby?"

"Trust me, you don't want me to explain," she said seriously. "Can you cover me on the way to the castle? I can only do so much to protect her."

"Sure. Follow me!"

* * *

She was inside her head. Talking. All the time. Talking talking talking. She found her body moving of its own accord – of _her_ accord. Her magic failing, even the one that had always been her own.

It hadn't been like that before. She had always been in control. Always. Even when doubts had started to creep in, when foreign thoughts and emotions reared their ugly little heads… She had been quick to snuff them out. And _always_ she had regained control.

This was not different, this should _not_ be different. What did she care the body was a Schnee's? She was stronger than any Schnee. Her bloodline had always been stronger.

Unity _was_ a delusion. Resistance was overcome by her own power, and from that she assumed full control. So, no, she did not _need_ Winter for anything but her body.

Why was her world falling apart, then?

Why was…

For a second, her heart stopped beating. Her eyes went red, but faintly so, like the last embers of a fireplace. Because she saw her. _Her_.

Cinder's hands burst into flames, and she marched towards Belladonna. Her stomping drew the faunus' attention. Shouting, she began to run, but Cinder caught up to her in the blink of an eye.

She hit Belladonna with the back of her hand, sending her tumbling away. Ruby Rose fell to the ground, her cloak splayed around her like a pool of blood. Her eyes were shut, her chest rising and falling. Still asleep, still away.

"Now…" she said, voice raspy. "Now you're done, Reaper."

Cinder thrust her hand to the side, making a fiery blade…

* * *

The dreamscape around her had changed. There was no more snowstorm. Instead, she was surrounded by Shades. Not like the monstrous amalgamation that was chasing her, but the regular ones. They were watching. Waiting. Unmoving, silent. Ruby slowed down despite the danger she was in. Their stares… it was difficult to ignore them.

"Ruby."

Raven's hand fell on her shoulder. Ruby turned to look at her, startled. "Raven! Where were you?"

"Who knows," the older woman said dismissively. "I need to get you back fast. It might be too late, but you need to be there."

"I can't just leave you here!" Ruby protested. "That thing is going to kill you!"

"That thing is Winter Schnee, and I am going to save her," Raven said firmly. "Now, let's get you-"

From behind them came a roar.

Ruby rolled away, her cloak tearing apart. She looked up and saw the Shade lifting Raven from the ground, eyes examining her hatefully.

Forgetting all her fears, Ruby stood and ran, her scythe appearing in her hands. She jumped and spun, slicing through the Shade's wispy arms. Raven landed back on the ground and drew her sword, then stepped away.

"Lady Winter!" Ruby yelled, ducking under the Shade's grab and circling around her. "Wake up! Vale needs you!"

She put Crescent Rose around the Shade's waist and pulled. Its body quickly reformed, but it was angry, angrier than it had ever been before. It turned and made to grab Ruby, but she swung her scythe, keeping its hands at bay.

"Lady Winter! Weiss needs you!"

The Shade's form shifted, and suddenly, Winter and Cinder were separated.

Raven strut in, passing an arm around Winter's waist and dragging her away. She spoke in a low, hurried tone, and the royal nodded, listening in a daze. Raven put her hands on her shoulders, and both closed their eyes.

And then Winter was gone.

* * *

Blake tackled her, sending Cinder reeling back. She stood over Ruby and drew her daggers, prepared to give her life to protect her.

Cinder fell to her knees, her blade of fire faded. Suddenly, her head snapped upwards and she opened her mouth, from wherein came a hundred thousand flames, red and golden. They floated in the air, swirling around each other, then went up to the sky and disappeared.

Winter fell on her side, eyes barely open.

"Sister!"

Weiss appeared, sliding to a halt beside Winter. She conjured a glyph, fending off the approaching Grimm. Her expression was a mixture of relief and suspicion, as if she didn't want to believe what was happening.

"Blake," Yang stopped beside Blake. "Is Ruby alright?"

Slowly, Blake lowered her daggers. She watched Winter for a while more before letting her eyes drop to Ruby. She would wake up now.

She would.

* * *

Ruby watched Cinder carefully, keeping Crescent Rose raised in-between them. The witch was standing still, her head bowed low. Whatever she was feeling, Ruby couldn't tell.

The Shades were getting agitated. There was a quiet humming coming from them, all around, as if they were… speaking?

Raven walked by, making a wide berth around Cinder. She looked at Ruby with a silent message in her eyes. They needed to get her out of there fast.

Silently, Ruby raised a foot…

Cinder lunged at her, flames dancing on her fingers. Ruby yelled and swung Crescent Rose, but it slashed through thin air. The redhead blinked confusedly. Cinder was nowhere to be seen.

Her back suddenly exploded with pain, and she was forced to her knees. Cinder bent down behind her, speaking in her ear. "You think you've stopped me?!"

She hit Ruby in the side of the neck with a chopping motion, knocking her on her side. Her voice was different now. She had given completely into madness. Whatever little patience Cinder had had left, they had just taken it from her, and she was _furious_.

"You can't stop me! You will _never_ stop me!"

Raven closed in, swinging her sword. Cinder gripped her wrist and twisted her arm, then kneed her repeatedly in the stomach, each time more viciously than the last.

"You – can't – hurt – me!" She shouted, marking every word with a knee. "This is _my realm_!"

Ruby stood and turned, swinging again. Crescent Rose buried into Cinder's shoulder, but the witch didn't as much as wince. Letting go of Raven, she broke the scythe from Ruby's grasp and tossed it away. Her eyes blazing, she stepped up to Ruby and wrapped a hand around her throat.

"I will keep coming back. Again. And again. And again. No matter how many bodies you destroy, no matter how many of my victims you save. I will always return," she pressed her forehead to Ruby's. "I do admire your resolve. You will keep fighting me, will you not? And so I see two options ahead of me. I can let you go right now, so I can torture you where it really hurts later… _or_ …" she paused. "I can honor the family tradition and possess you next. Ah, I can already imagine the horrors I could carry out in your skin… _That_ would be the ultimate torture."

Cinder smiled, forcing her back to her knees.

"I've made my mind."

She raised a finger and slowly reached to touch Ruby's forehead, as if she were savoring the moment. Ruby looked up at her, defiant. If there was any way she could resist this, she was prepared to do it. Cinder would _never_ use her to hurt her friends.

It was in that moment, when she made her mind, that she noticed someone else had joined them. Or _something_ else. A single Shade, broken off from the rest. Its body wisped alluringly behind it as it walked, like a pure white cloak. It stopped behind Cinder and put a hand on her shoulder.

It spoke, the sound of its voice broken, barely understandable, but something about it was familiar to Ruby.

"No. More."

Cinder froze, her face a mask of fear. "No. Not you," she whispered. "You're gone. You're gone!"

"Enough. Hurting. Good. Bye."

The Shade glided forward – or Cinder was dragged back – or both – and before Ruby's eyes, they started to become one. Cinder screamed, kicked and cried, reaching out, but it was useless.

In time, only the Shade remained, its silver eyes contemplating Ruby silently.

"Little. Rose."

It shifted. Ruby couldn't comprehend how, not fully, but she thought it seemed pleased, or happy.

The Shade hovered back to the others, disappearing in their midst. And so, all at once… they scattered.

* * *

From atop the Castle walls, Jaune let fire the last round he had at his disposal. He tossed his pistol away and sat down, wiping his brow. It seemed like the Grimm would never stop coming. He had lost count of how many he had taken down, and then there were the other fifty people working just as hard as him.

He went to pick up another gun, but then changed his mind. He would be no good defending in such a poor state. He would rest for a bit, then resume his duty.

Jaune climbed down to ground level and saw Nora running around, delivering flasks and ammunition to anyone who needed it. Ren was nearby too, helping herd in the few people who were just making their way to the castle.

"Ren!" Jaune exclaimed, running to him. "How many people is that?"

"A lot. Not the whole city, obviously, but a good part," Ren said. "I don't think there will be many more. Anyone who isn't here by now… well…"

"Yeah. I know," Jaune shook his head sadly. "What about our friends? The Queen, and Ruby?"

"I don't know," Ren looked up at the sky. "Have you noticed there's been no sign of Cinder?"

Jaune followed his gaze. Ren was right. Where had Cinder gone?

An uproar started from up the wall, the defenders shouting and shooting even more rounds. Jaune looked through the gates and saw a small group coming. A light glow surrounded them, which meant…

"Oh, finally!" He exclaimed, relieved.

The group came through. Weiss stopped a little ways into the courtyard, laying her sister down on the ground.

Nora stopped whatever she was in the middle of to stare. "Is that…?" She shouted suddenly, throwing everything she had up the air. "Witch! Witch!"

"Nora! Calm down!" Yang grabbed her by the shoulders. "Cinder's gone. That's Winter."

Nora glared at her suspiciously. "That's what everyone said before, and look what happened."

"It's the truth now," Yang insisted. "We all watched it happen. And according to Ruby, Cinder's gone for good."

Jaune looked at Ruby, who was currently clinging to Blake to stay standing. She looked sad, and not just because of what was going on in the city.

"Listen!" Weiss yelled, drawing everyone's attention. "I have neither the time nor the patience to stand around explaining things I don't even understand yet! My sister needs a bed and medical attention. I'm taking her to my quarters, and anyone who wants to be useful may feel free to help me carry her."

"I don't think it would be smart for you to go inside right now." Ren said cautiously.

"Oh, really? And why, pray tell, can't I enter my own castle?" Weiss asked impatiently.

"Your Highness, people are furious," Jaune explained quietly. "I mean, furious doesn't do them justice. They are saying a lot of stuff in there, stuff about you and your sister and the throne… And it's not just words."

Weiss frowned. "So you're afraid for my safety."

"I'm afraid for everyone's safety."

Weiss looked at the castle. They could all hear voices coming from there. Shouting, chanting. It wasn't like last time, when everyone had been too afraid of the Grimm to do anything but hide and wait. There was something more on the people's minds this time, bigger even than their fear.

Ruby parted from Blake and took Weiss' hand. "I'm always with you."

Yang followed suit, taking her other hand. "Same."

Blake stepped up, giving her a firm nod.

Weiss took a deep breath.

"I will lead the way, then."

* * *

 **...  
**

 **So, it took a few months, but here it is finally. The kinda-final chapter to _Of Vale Blood_. This finishes the main narrative, but there's one more chapter to go - an Epilogue, which hopefully I won't take quite so long to get to.**

 **I do hope the Weiss/Yang/Her part was not too confusing to read. I tried to do something different there. I don't think the final chapter is a smart time to try out that kind of stuff, but oh well! I liked it.**

 **I don't have that much to say about the chapter itself. It was very action-oriented, so it kinda speaks for itself. But to everyone who was hoping Summer would be a thing... you're welcome! Hehe.**

 **Anyway, thanks everyone for sticking through this long, long journey. I'll go more in-depth with the sappy author stuff in the Epilogue, but until then, just know I truly appreciate you all for reading.**

 **-Zeroan**


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